Cooking with Nicko

Fresh Salmon Fillets with Asparagus

How to cook fresh salmon fillets in a pan

fresh salmon fillets

Ingredients

  • 2 salmon fillets without the bone - check with your fish market to see if the salmon bones are removed or if they can remove them for you
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 bunch of rosemary
  • 1 bunch of thyme
  • 1 bunch of asparagus
  • 4 tablespoons of salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Method

  1. Remove the salmon fillets from your refrigerator at least 20 mins before cooking. This brings the salmon to room temperature so it cooks evenly through
  2. Pre-heat a frying pan on high heat
  3. Drizzle olive oil over both sides of the salmon fillets
  4. Generously season your salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper
  5. Once your pan is ripping hot, lay your salmon fillets into the pan flesh side down and press to make sure every part of the salmon fillet's surface is touching the pan
  6. Lightly crush the garlic cloves with the palm of your hand, don't bother with chopping them. Throw them in the pan with your salmon
  7. Use a pair of tongs to rub the garlic over the salmon fillets
  8. Add the bunch of rosemary and thyme
  9. Sear the salmon fillets for seven to ten minutes before flipping over to sear the other side of the salmon fillet
  10. Rub the garlic over the other side of the salmon fillet
  11. When the salmon has 2 minutes left to cook, add in your butter to the pan and baste (scoop the melted butter repeatedly over the salmon)
  12. Move the salmon to the side to let it rest. Squeeze lemon juice over the salmon fillets
  13. Rinse the asparagus and remove the stalks at the end. You can either chop the, or, if you bend them they will naturally snap
  14. Fry the asparagus in the oil and butter you cooked your salmon fillets in until lightly charred. This should take 5-7 minutes
  15. Serve with asparagus in criss-cross and place the salmon on top. Drizzle some of the butter over the salmon

Some extra tips on how to cook salmon fillets

It's up to you if you want to keep the skin on or off on salmon fillets. I prefer to keep the skin on the salmon fillets. If you notice your salmon fillets getting dry through the cooking process, you can squeeze lemon juice over the salmon fillets. You should season your salmon fillets just before you begin to cook them. Seasoning your salmon fillets to early can cause them to get dry because salt will draw moisture out of the salmon fillets.

If you want more info on cooking with seafood, you can read my guide here.

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