Salmon Piccata
Crisp-skin salmon, lemon-caper-butter sauce, capers and parsley.
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Salmon skin is the prize, and the only way to get it crispy is bone-dry fish and hot pan and don't move it. Pat the skin DRY with paper towels (water = steam = soggy skin). Lay it down, press once with the spatula for 30 seconds so it doesn't curl, then leave it alone for 4 min. The fish releases on its own when the skin is shatter-crisp. If you try to move it earlier, it'll tear.
Ingredients
Everything below makes 4 servings.
- 1½ lbsalmon fillets (skin-on)patted very dry, cut into 4 portions
- ¼ cupall-purpose flourfor dusting the flesh side only
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 4 tbspunsalted buttercold, cubed
- 1 mediumshallotminced
- 3garlic clovesminced
- ½ cupdry white wine
- ½ cupvegetable stock
- 3 tbspfresh lemon juicefrom about 1.5 lemons
- 3 tbspcapers (drained)drained, rinsed if very salty
- ¼ cupfresh parsleychopped
- 1lemonsliced into thin rounds for garnish
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
In the app these rescale to however many people you're feeding.
Nutrition
Per serving, as written.
- 500calories
- 38gprotein
- 8gcarbs
- 35gfat
Swaps move these numbers. A different protein or base changes them.
Instructions
Knife work first, then the stove. Nothing below asks you to chop while something burns.
- Pat the salmon VERY dry on both sides. Salt and pepper both sides. Dust ONLY the flesh side with flour - the skin side stays bare so it crisps.
- Mince shallot and garlic. Juice the lemons (3 tbsp lemon juice). Slice 1 lemon into thin rounds.
- Drain capers. Cube the butter and keep COLD until the sauce mount.
- Have wine and stock measured by the stove - this dish moves fast.
Sear skin
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Lay salmon skin-side DOWN. Press gently with a spatula for the first 30 sec so the skin doesn't curl. Cook undisturbed 4 min - the skin should release on its own and look deeply golden. Flip, sear 90 sec on the flesh side. Transfer to a plate skin-up.
6 min · hands onAromatics
Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp of the cold butter. Add shallot, cook 1 min until soft. Add garlic, 30 sec until fragrant - don't brown.
2 min · hands onDeglaze and reduce
Pour in wine, scraping up the golden bits. Reduce until almost dry, 2-3 min. Add stock, lemon juice, and capers. Simmer 2 min.
5 min · hands onMount and finish
Move skillet OFF heat. Drop in remaining cold butter cubes one at a time, swirling the pan, until the sauce turns glossy and slightly thick. Slide salmon back in skin-up to warm through (don't drown the skin - keep it above the sauce so it stays crisp). Scatter parsley, lay lemon rounds across the top.
2 min · hands onMake it yours
Every swap here is one Maui already knows how to make, including what it does to the timing.
Use the chicken-piccata recipe - different sear time and dredge.
Sear 3 min/side - thicker fillets need same time, leaner so watch closely.
Boil 8 oz angel hair while sauce simmers; twirl onto plate, lay salmon on top. Adds about 8 minutes.
Toss arugula with lemon and olive oil while salmon rests. Adds about 5 minutes.
What keeps
Salmon overcooks on reheating and the lemon turns metallic overnight. Cook it the night you want it.
If you must - pull from heat 30 seconds early, refrigerate sauce separately, gently warm both 60 sec in a pan.
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