Today, I’m sharing another quick, easy, and absolutely delicious recipe featuring salmon. Salmon is not only a perfect choice for a speedy weeknight meal, but it also feels fancy enough for special occasions. Just picture a perfectly seared piece of salmon paired with tender green peas and a glass of wine—truly the ideal setup for a candlelit dinner. So chic!
Check out the video on my YouTube channel to see how easily it’s done!
This simple yet elegant recipe makes a big impact, thanks to the luscious lemon butter sauce. The combination of flavours, colours, and textures makes this dish impressive enough to serve on Valentine’s Day or to entertain guests. While you can use any fish, I adore salmon — and being from BC, where we have some of the best salmon around, why not enjoy it to the fullest?
Salmon isn’t just delicious, it’s also a healthy choice. It’s low in saturated fats and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, making this dish both light and satisfying. To complete the meal, I air-fried some rice patties made from leftover rice for carbs and boiled green peas for veggies. Peas are such a versatile and nutritious vegetable, aren’t they? I grew up eating them in many forms—like in Aloo Matar, Dahi Matar, and my mother’s Green Pea Parathas (Matar Waale Paronthay), which she’d make at least once a month during the winter. While I don’t make paranthas as often anymore, I still include peas in other dishes (Did you check my Peas stuffed rice flour litti?).
The lemon garlic butter sauce was the perfect addition, bringing together the delicate flavours of the salmon and peas with its rich, zesty kick. It’s hard not to love a recipe that comes together so quickly with just a few simple ingredients, and yet delivers such a satisfying, flavourful meal.
Ingredients
- 2 (3-4 oz) salmon fillets
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp unsalted cold butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp (chicken or vegetable) broth
- 1 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup frozen green peas
Instructions
- Cook the frozen green peas in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
- Drain, refresh under cold water. Set aside and warm when serving with fish.
- Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper (just before cooking).
- Heat a 8-10" stainless steel, cast iron, or nonstick pan over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes.
- Add the olive oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, about 1 minute, carefully add the salmon (skin side up or down, your choice).
- Sear the fillets for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, until golden brown and crispy.
- Use tongs or fish spatula to carefully flip the salmon over, cook for an additional 3 minutes (cooking time depends on the thickness of fish).
- Transfer the salmon to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil. Do not discard the pan but remove from heat for a minute.
- Put it back on heat. Add garlic, sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, broth, salt, half parsley, and black pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the cold butter until a lightly thickened emulsion is formed.
- Add the warm peas to the plate holding the salmon. Then, generously spoon the warm lemon butter sauce over the salmon fillets and serve immediately. Garnish with more chopped parsley. Season with extra salt and pepper on peas if desired.
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