Fish is best fresh, there’s no way around it. The fresher the better! So, the best attitude to approach the fish section with is, what looks best?
How to Tell When Fish is Fresh
With whole fish, you can usually tell just by looking at the eyes — they should be clear, not foggy and sunken. With fillets, if the surface is dried out and tired looking, that’s not a good sign. The fillet should glisten, like it was just cut, and should smell fresh, not fishy. The day we cooked this salmon, it was the best looking fish at the counter, and it did not disappoint. In fact, it was so good I called my dad over and told him to stop eating his lunch, wrap it up, and get over here to eat this salmon. Which of course he did, because when fish is good, it must be eaten immediately.
Salmon and Lemon Cream Sauce All in One Skillet
The recipe is simple! It’s just salmon fillets fried on the stovetop in a high smoke point oil (we like to use rice bran oil) and served with a sauce made with lemon juice, stock, and cream. We like to sauté skin-on salmon because when the skin is crispy fried, there’s nothing better. It’s like salmon bacon. In this recipe, we are pan-frying the salmon. If you prefer, you could just as easily bake the salmon or poach the salmon, and serve it with the same sauce. Recipe and photos updated, first published 2012. When buying skin-on fish, make certain the fish has been scaled. Ask your fishmonger to do this at the store. Make sure you use “heavy” whipping cream for the sauce or it will curdle. This recipe is adapted from an arctic char recipe in The Country Cooking of Ireland by Coleman Andrews Lay the fillets in the hot pan and lower the heat to medium. Let the fillets sizzle steadily for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. A 1-inch-thick fillet will take about 5 minutes. If you lay the fillets down skin-side up first, the fillets will be easier to turn over without falling apart, because the raw skin helps hold the fillet together. Your choice. With a metal spatula, gently turn the fillets over. Cook for another 1 to 5 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your fish. We like our salmon a little rare in the center, so we cook the second side of a 1-inch fillet about 3 minutes. If you’ve crisped up the skin, serve the fillets skin-side up so they stay crispy. Otherwise, serve the fillets skin-side down.
