Preparing salmon is one of those things that looks much more complex than it really is. It is also extremely versatile. When done well, an elegant salmon dish can be prepared in a short amount of time and still yield five-star-restaurant flavor. There are a few important things to note before you get started:

  •  Make sure the fish is completely dry before you cook it. Any moisture left on the fish will  take away from the golden crust that can form on a perfectly seared piece.
  •  Never overcook. Remove the fish from the hot pan a few minutes before its fully cooked. The fish will continue to cook even after its taken away from the heat, allowing it to reach the proper doneness.

Now let’s cook:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add oil to the hot pan.

Crispy Skin Salmon IngredientsAdd the seasoned fish to the pan, skin side down. Leave it alone. Resist the urge to move the fish around. This will interrupt the browning and the skin won’t get crispy. After 5 minutes, turn the fish on its sides to brown for about 2 minutes on each side. Now flip the fish to skin side up. Put the pan in the oven and cook the salmon for another 6 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven just before the point of being well done. Be sure to use a pot holder. The pan will be extremely hot. Remove the fish from the pan and allow it to rest on a plate. I use a cooling rack inside a half sheet pan. This allows the fish to cool and maintain the crispy crust all over.Crispy Salmon in panNow it’s time to make the sauce.

Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat. Saute minced shallots until tender. Do not let them brown. Once the shallots are soft, add heavy cream to the pan. Blend well with a whisk or wooden spoon. Allow the cream to boil gently until it thickens. Mix in dijon mustard and ground mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in dill.

Dill Mustard Sauce IngredientsWhen you are ready to plate the meal, sprinkle a bit of fresh dill on top of the salmon. This salmon was served with Snow Peas and Shallots. Find the recipe here.

Crispy Skin Salmon Plate

Crispy Skin Salmon with Dill Mustard Sauce
Serves 4
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
For the Salmon
  1. 1 pound salmon, cut into 4oz pieces
  2. salt and pepper
  3. dill for finishing
For the Dill Mustard sauce
  1. 1 cup heavy cream
  2. 1 small shallot, minced
  3. 2 tablespoons butter
  4. 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  5. 1 tablespoon coarse ground mustard
  6. salt and pepper
For the Salmon
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Pat salmon dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper on all sides.
  3. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add oil to the hot pan.
  4. Add the seasoned fish to the pan, skin side down.
  5. After 5 minutes, turn the fish on its sides to brown for about 2 minutes on each side.
  6. Now flip the fish to skin side up.
  7. Put the pan in the oven and cook the salmon for another 6 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven just before the point of being well done.
  8. Remove the fish from the pan and allow it to rest on a plate or cooling rack.
  9. Top with fresh dill.
For Dill Mustard Sauce
  1. Melt the butter in a pan on medium heat.
  2. Saute minced shallots until tender. Do not let them brown.
  3. Once the shallots are soft, add heavy cream to the pan. Blend well with a whisk or wooden spoon.
  4. Allow the cream to boil gently until it thickens.
  5. Mix in dijon mustard and ground mustard.
  6. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in dill.
Living Remixed https://livingremixed.com/