Salmon With Lemon Cream (Printable Version)
Tender salmon in a silky lemon cream sauce with garlic and fresh dill—ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 skinless salmon fillets, 6 oz each
02 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
→ Lemon Cream Sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 1/2 cup dry white wine or fish stock
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Pat the salmon fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place salmon fillets flesh side down and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
03 - Reduce the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the same skillet and sauté the minced garlic for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
04 - Pour in the dry white wine or fish stock and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
05 - Stir in the heavy cream, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and slightly thickens.
06 - Add the chopped fresh dill and season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stirring to combine.
07 - Return the salmon fillets to the pan and spoon the sauce over each piece. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes just until the fish is warmed through. Serve immediately, garnished with extra fresh dill and lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon cream sauce comes together in the same pan, so every caramelized bit from the salmon gets folded right back into something silky and bright.
- It tastes like a restaurant dish but honestly takes less effort than ordering takeout.
02 -
- Do not move the salmon while it sears, patience here is the difference between a beautiful crust and torn, ragged fillets.
- Keep the cream at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil, or the sauce will break and look curdled instead of silky.
03 -
- Take the salmon off the heat just before you think it is done, residual heat will finish the cooking and keep it perfectly moist inside.
- Use a microplane for the lemon zest, anything coarser turns stringy in the cream and ruins the velvety texture.