A simple sauce of piquant green peppercorns, lemon juice and butter top this seared salmon recipe.
Ingredients
¼ tsp 1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt, divided
2 tsp canola oil
¼ cup lemon juice
4 tsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp green peppercorns in vinegar, rinsed and crushed
Directions
1. Sprinkle salmon pieces with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook until just opaque in the center, gently turning halfway, 4 to 7 minutes total. Divide among 4 plates. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add lemon juice, butter, peppercorns and the remaining pinch of salt; swirl the pan carefully to incorporate the butter into the sauce. Top each portion of fish with sauce (about 2 teaspoons each).
Tips: Wild-caught salmon from the Pacific (Alaska and Washington) is considered the best choice for the environment because it is more sustainably fished and has a larger, more stable population. Farmed salmon, including Atlantic, should be avoided, as it endangers the wild salmon population.
To skin salmon, place fillet on a clean cutting board, skin side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long, sharp knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.
