Pan-seared salmon is naturally keto and simply delicious so it makes a quick, easy, and flavorful weeknight supper. For this recipe, we brined our salmon to season it and keep it moist because we cooked it quickly. While the fish soaked in salt water, we had time to make a salad or side. We also paired our fish with a crisp cucumber-ginger relish, which added fat from olive oil to the meal. When we were ready to cook the salmon, we placed it skin side down in a cold, dry nonstick skillet. The skillet and fish heated at the same time and we used just the fat under the salmon skin to help cook the fish.
If we had added fish to a hot pan without oil in it, the skin would burn. This way the skin slowly rendered its fat as the salmon cooked. The fat later helped sear the second side till it was golden brown and crisp. It also protected the fish from drying out during cooking. We prefer the richness of farm-raised salmon for this recipe; however, wild salmon can be substituted. If using wild salmon, which contains less fat, cook the fillets to 120 degrees (for medium-rare) and be aware that the nutritional information for this recipe will change. If you don’t want to eat the salmon skin, it can be easily peeled off and discarded once the salmon is done. For a spicier relish, reserve, mince, and add the ribs and seeds from the chile.
Jump to RecipeInstructions :
- For the relish Whisk oil, vinegar, lime juice, mustard, ginger, and salt in bowl until smooth. Stir in cucumber, mint, cilantro, and chile. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for serving.
- For the salmon Dissolve ¼ cup salt in 1 quart water in large container. Submerge salmon in brine and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Remove salmon from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle bottom of 10-inch nonstick skillet evenly with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place fillets, skin side down, in skillet and sprinkle tops of fillets with remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and cook fillets without moving them until fat begins to render, skin begins to brown, and bottom ¼ inch of fillets turns opaque, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Using tongs, flip fillets and continue to cook without moving them until centers are still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and register 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer fillets, skin side down, to plate and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with cucumber-ginger relish.
Pan-Seared Salmon With Cucumber-Ginger Relish
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ½ English cucumber 8 ounces, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- ½ cup minced fresh mint
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro
- ½ serrano chile minced
- ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt divided, plus salt for brining salmon
- ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon pepper divided
- 2 6-ounce skin-on farm-raised salmon fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
Instructions
- For the relish Whisk oil, vinegar, lime juice, mustard, ginger, and salt in bowl until smooth. Stir in cucumber, mint, cilantro, and chile. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for serving.
- For the salmon Dissolve ¼ cup salt in 1 quart water in large container. Submerge salmon in brine and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Remove salmon from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle bottom of 10-inch nonstick skillet evenly with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place fillets, skin side down, in skillet and sprinkle tops of fillets with remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and cook fillets without moving them until fat begins to render, skin begins to brown, and bottom ¼ inch of fillets turns opaque, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Using tongs, flip fillets and continue to cook without moving them until centers are still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and register 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer fillets, skin side down, to plate and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with cucumber-ginger relish.