Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Wine Cream Sauce

Melt-in-your-mouth salmon is all about how you cook it!  Follow these easy steps and it will melt in your mouth like butter.  Of course, it always helps when you are cooking with butter!   My Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Wine Cream Sauce is guaranteed to impress!

This simple, but decadent recipe uses technique that will create a dish easy enough for a weeknight, but would be outstanding for company.

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I have to admit, cooking fish used to made me nervous. The easiest way to mess up seafood and fish of all types is to overcook it. 

I’m from the Midwest and it’s hard to come by fresh seafood, which can really limit ones exposure to a properly prepared dish.  However, my family and I love to go to the coast and pretend to be beach bunnies for a week every spring.  My ideal beach vacation tends to be beach, pool, nap, followed by a seafood dinner. Eat, drink, repeat all week equals happy beach bunny!

But only one week a year of seafood is never enough!

One of my all time favorite cookbooks is called Taste and Technique by Naomi Pomeroy.

I absolutely recommend purchasing this or checking it out at the library.  While her recipes are exquisite, the skills she teaches are invaluable. I’ve adapted her basic pan seared salmon techniques into the recipe I’m sharing with you today.

How to make Pan Seared Salmon with Garlic Wine Cream Sauce

First, choose a quality piece of fish.  A thick, center cut filet of fresh, wild caught salmon with the skin on will produce the best result.

Start by heating a black steal pan over medium-high heat, or my preferred choice in this instance, a 12″ Lodge cast iron skillet.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.  Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper and then place them in the pan skin side down to ensure an even sear.  Cook for about 3 minutes until the bottom half of the salmon looks opaque.

Now the buttery goodness begins.  Add 3 tablespoons butter to the edges of the pan and allow to melt.  Start spooning the melted butter on top of your fillets for about 30 seconds until the top of the fillet is slightly cooked.

Place the pan in a preheated oven and cook for 3 minutes.  Repeat the butter basting.  Cook an additional 3 minutes in the oven until the salmon has reached slightly less then your desired doneness.  The salmon will have a brief resting period and will cook up slightly.  So, be very careful to not overcook it.  I prefer medium to no more then medium well cooked salmon so I usually pull it from the oven at medium rare.  The thickness of your fillets will also vary the cooking time.  Pull the salmon from the oven when an instant read thermometer reads 130 degrees.

Side note of my two cents:

The FDA recommends fish be cooked to 145 degrees. Keep in mind this is the finished temperature. The fish continue to cook up as it rests. My opinion on that is, if you like overcooked fish, follow that rule. America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated recommends removing the salmon from the heat at 120-125 depending on the variety of Salmon. I meet in the middle with 130 degrees.

Immediately remove the salmon to a serving platter and lightly tent with foil.

Place your skillet/pan back on the stove on a medium high heat.

Saute 2 sliced shallots in the fish drippings for about 2 minutes.  Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and continue sauteing for another minute or two.

Pour in about a cup of white wine.  I use a nice Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio which you should also be sampling while creating your dish. 

Adjust the heat to bring wine mixture to a gentle simmer and reduce slightly making sure to scrape all browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of cream or half and half.  Stir in half of a bunch of chopped Italian parsley.  Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.

Can I add shrimp or other seafood to my Garlic Wine Cream Sauce?

Yes! Shrimp, scallops, or crab meat are delightful additions. Details can be found below in the recipe card.

Serve salmon over a bed of fettuccine or linguine if desired.  Top salmon with your garlic wine cream sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice, and grate parmesan or pecorino over the top.  A Microplane Grater is marvelous for this.

I serve with Oven Roasted Asparagus (which roasted in the oven the same time as my fish cooked) and the Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio as an accompaniment.  Enjoy!

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