Pan Fried Salmon with Lemon-Dill Sauce
Leo | April 11, 2008
I love cooking together with Catherine. Yes, because of our schedules it’s often harried and sometimes things don’t turn out quite as good as we might like. Such is life. But, and I think this is important, the time we take in planning and preparing meals nourishes our love for one another just as we are nourishing each other with the food we cook. We work hard to keep it interesting too by trying to anticipate each other’s tastes, making old favorites, trying out something exciting and new, indulging each other in decadent desserts, or just a heaping serving of comfort food. Everyone needs a little comfort now and then.
It doesn’t have to be complicated either. Just like in love, a plain and simple screw is exactly what you need once in a while. So it goes that sometimes the simplest meals are the best ones. Last night was like this. All we did was pan fry some salmon that had been hanging out in the freezer and served it with this uncomplicated and unpresuming lemon-dill sauce that I threw together at lunch time. On the side we had steamed asparagus because asparagus was on sale this week and I bought a mountain of it (we both love the pointy green veggie).
And you know what? The lemon-dill sauce was as good on the asparagus as it was on the fish.So here’s the recipe, but by all means, don’t feel like you have to restrict this sauce to just fish. I imagine it’d be just as good on some chicken, pork or beef. And if you don’t have a lemon to grate, don’t worry! Remember, we’re keeping it simple here and it’s going to taste as good whether you use bottled lemon juice or the real deal.
Pan Fried Salmon with Lemon-Dill Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill
- 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Enough salmon to make you feel full (the fish should be at room temperature before frying)
- Garlic-pepper salt to taste
- 1-2 tbsp. peanut oil
Sauce Preparation
- To prepare the sauce, simply whisk the first six ingredients together until the sauce is nice and smooth. Add salt and pepper as you see fit and give it a final couple of go-rounds with the whisk.
- Refrigerate the sauce for a couple of hours before serving although feel free to make this the night before.
Fish Preparation
- To cook the fish, first rub it with as much garlic-pepper salt as you think you’ll like
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet on high
- Fry the salmon skin-side down first for 3-4 minutes
- Flip the salmon and fry the other side another 2-4 minutes until the flesh should is firm and flaky
- And you’re done! Serve with lemon-dill sauce splashed over the top
About the author: I've only lived in Fort Wayne for slightly less than a year but have grown to love the city in this short time. We're very lucky to have such a diverse food culture that goes far beyond the typical fast food fare. As for cooking, I used to dread it but it's become one of my favorite activities to do with Catherine. There's something very relaxing about cooking and setting down to a nice meal together. Well, it would be relaxing if it weren't for the dog sticking his snout into everything but it's fun nonetheless. Read more from this author
LOL! "A plain and simple screw"? Since I know that
CatherineLOL! "A plain and simple screw"? Since I know that no one but us ever reads these comments, let me just say, I love cooking with you and plain and simply screwing you as well! Last night was a stand-out in terms of good food and good sex - I’m pretty lucky, I guess. I can’t wait to indulge with you (and in you) again soon.
Dear Catherine and Leo, I was recently talking to a
Wing Li/MartinDear Catherine and Leo, I was recently talking to a friend of mine, Leon, and he said how Dill and lemon goes especially good with salmon. Every so often, I get the courage to add to my recipe book, I cook for family and a few close friends ^^, the fun of exploring and showing new flavours to people is an uncommon joy.
Anyway, rambling on, I just bought the sauce ingredients and going ot make it ahead of time as it needed ot be pu tin the fridge. My family is of Chinese origin, naturalised or whatever in Scotland.
I will tell you later, their reactions.
P.S. your recipe came up third on the hits of keywords pan fried salmon dill
hehe, a great recipe although it's a tad rich for
Wing Li/Martinhehe, a great recipe although it’s a tad rich for us, I’ll need to adjust it further for them