Pan-Seared Salmon

Sometimes when you have a nice piece of fish, all it needs is a little salt and pepper and a good pan-searing. The simpler the better. You want the fish to take center stage and not be covered up by sauces or too many other flavors.

My hubby bought us a couple gorgeous pieces of salmon for tonight's dinner. They were  about 1 1/2 inches thick and had the skin on the bottom still.

I gently rinsed them off in cold water and dried them well with paper towels. Fish and meat brown better when they are very dry. I then generously sprinkle the flesh side with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Tonight I used a cast iron pan to cook with. I heated the pan over medium heat. After several minutes, when it was extremely hot, I added a small splash of canola oil and swirled it around the pan. I then placed the salmon on flesh side down and let it cook for about five minutes. Then I cooked the other side for about the same amount of time.

Depending on the thickness of your fish, you will want to adjust the cooking time. Obviously less time for thinner pieces. In order to get a nice golden crust, you can also use a higher heat for thinner pieces. Salmon tastes best when it is JUST cooked through. You want it to be a little pink in the middle still. You can see how much of it is cooked through just by looking at the sides. Also, the fish will be almost firm to the touch when done with the slightest bit of give.

Our fish tonight was perfect. Crispy, salty crust on the outside; soft and moist on the inside. It is much easier to eat healthy when it's delicious!

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