Gordon Ramsay Pan Fried Salmon (Printer-friendly)

Crispy-skinned salmon with garlic butter, capers, and fresh herbs

# What You Need:

→ Fish

01 - 2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 6.3 oz each)
02 - Sea salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ For Frying

04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Sauce & Garnish

06 - 1 garlic clove, crushed
07 - 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
08 - Juice of ½ lemon
09 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
10 - Lemon wedges, to serve

→ Vegetables

11 - 7 oz tenderstem broccoli or asparagus
12 - Sea salt, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the salmon fillets dry with kitchen paper. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
03 - Place salmon fillets skin-side down in the hot pan. Press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds to prevent curling.
04 - Cook skin-side down for 5-6 minutes until skin is crispy and fish is cooked two-thirds up the side.
05 - Flip the fillets. Add butter and crushed garlic. Tilt pan and spoon foaming butter over fish for 1-2 minutes until just cooked through.
06 - Add capers and lemon juice to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the fish repeatedly to coat.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and let rest briefly.
08 - Blanch broccoli or asparagus in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp.
09 - Plate salmon alongside vegetables. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The skin gets impossibly crispy while the flesh stays perfectly moist, which is honestly just magic.
  • That buttery sauce with capers is the kind of thing that makes people ask what restaurant you ordered from.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan or the temperature will drop and you'll lose that precious crispy skin.
  • Room temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you start cooking.
03 -
  • Buy the best salmon you can afford, the quality really shows in simple recipes like this.
  • Keep a paper towel handy to wipe out any excess fat between steps if needed.

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