Salmon with Lemon Rice
Salmon fillets cooked skin-side down until the skin turns deep golden, served over lemon-scented rice with a bright pan sauce built from the browned bits.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 25 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Deglazing
- Savory
- Crispy
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear, then drain well. Put it in the saucepan with 180 ml water and 0.25 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to the lowest setting.
~5 min
Rinsing removes surface starch so the grains stay separate instead of turning gluey.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the rice simmers, grate the zest from the lemon into a small bowl, then halve it and squeeze 1 tbsp juice into the same bowl. Set aside.
~3 min
-
Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels, including the skin. Season the flesh side with 0.25 tsp salt and the black pepper.
~2 min
Drying the skin removes moisture so it can crisp and brown instead of steaming.
-
Heat the olive oil in the non-stick pan over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the salmon in skin-side down and press it flat for 10 seconds. Cook undisturbed until the skin is deep golden and the flesh is opaque about three quarters of the way up, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until the thickest part reaches 63°C. Move the salmon to a plate.
~9 min
Pressing ensures full skin contact for even browning, and cooking skin-side down renders fat and crisps the skin.
Press the fillet flat against the pan for the first 10 seconds: full skin contact helps the skin brown evenly.
If the skin releases with resistance when you try to flip, it is not ready. Give it another 30 seconds and it will come away cleanly.
Searing Get the pan hot until the oil shimmers, then lay the fish in and don't move it. If it sticks when you try to flip, it isn't ready, wait 30 seconds.
-
Pour off any excess fat, leaving the browned bits in the pan. Add the lemon zest and juice to the hot pan and stir for 30 seconds, scraping up the fond. Take the pan off the heat.
~1 min
The browned bits (fond) are concentrated flavor; the lemon juice deglazes them into a bright sauce.
Deglazing Add liquid to the hot pan and scrape the browned bits while it sizzles. Use enough liquid to loosen everything without flooding the pan.
-
Fluff the rice with a fork, season with the remaining 0.25 tsp salt, and spoon it onto a plate. Set the salmon on top, skin up, and pour the lemon pan sauce over the fillet. Rest 5 minutes before eating.
~5 min
Resting lets juices redistribute so they don't run out and leave the fish dry.