Crispy-Skin Salmon with Pan Sauce

1 hour rest 20 minutes active cooking 1 hour rest + 20 minutes total

Makes 2 servings

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This easy recipe comes to us from Wellspent’s own Lauren Winkle...

who literally grew up in kitchens (her mother runs Portland’s legendary first-wave Thai restaurant Khun Pic's Bahn Thai). It’s one for all of you salmon skin lovers (we’re not tossing this insanely crispy skin to the pups; apologies to all the good boys out there). The key is letting the salmon rest uncovered in the fridge for at least an hour (overnight if you can manage it), which pulls moisture from the skin and allows it to achieve peak crunchy-crispiness. Top it all off with Lauren’s easy pan sauce, and serve alongside seasonal vegetables (we love it with our Whole Roasted Romanesco).

What You'll Need

Ingredients

For the shopping list

2 salmon filets
1 lemon
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
2-4 tablespoons of soy sauce

From our shop

1-2 tablespoons of Italian Fine Sea Salt
$7.00– Trapani - Sicily

2 tablespoons of Everyday Single Varietal Olive Oil
$24.00– Capay Valley Ranch - California

To taste, ground Aranya Peppercorns
$12.00– Oakland - California

2 teaspoons of Chile Crunch
$16.00– Denver - Colorado

2 tablespoons of 100% Pure Maple Syrup, Tree Juice
$21.50– Drybrook Valley - New York

Equipment

From the kitchen

slow cooker
sauce pot
chef's Knife
cutting Board
measuring cups
measuring spoons

What you'll have to do

Step 1

To help the skin dry out, pat the salmon dry and place it in the refrigerator uncovered, skin side up, for at least an hour (more hours equals crispier skin).

Step 2

Remove from the fridge and salt both sides of the fish; drizzle the olive oil in the skillet. Place the fish skin side down in the pan and then turn on the heat to medium-high. It is essential that the pan and fish start out cold together.

Step 3

Gently press down on the salmon with a fish spatula for the first few minutes. Once the sides are opaque, flip the fish over and cook until opaque all the way through.

Step 4

Add sauce ingredients to the pan, gently warming to incorporate ingredients and flavors. When the fish is done to your liking and ready to serve, add a squeeze of lemon to the pan sauce and stir to incorporate.

Step 5

Voila! Plate the salmon and spoon the pan sauce over the top. Serve with your favorite side dish… it’s great with a hearty risotto and green salad, but in this iteration we enjoyed it with our Whole Roasted Romanesco.