Pan-seared Salmon with Hollandaise sauce
Ingredients
 | 2-3 pieces of fresh salmon, about 1.5-2 inches thick |
 | 1 tablespoon of olive oil |
 | 1 tablespoon of lemon juice |
 | 1 teaspoon of garlic powder |
 | 1 teaspoon of dried coriander (cilantro) |
 | Salt and pepper |
For the sauce:
 | 3 egg yolks |
| Juice of 1/2 lemon |
 | 200 g of butter |
| Salt and pepper |
 | Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional) |
How to make this pan-seared salmon with hollandaise sauce
For the Salmon
- Mix the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the spices, oil, and lemon juice.
- Prepare the salmon: Pat the fillets dry with paper towels, then coat them generously in the spice mixture.
- Heat the pan: Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the salmon: Place the salmon fillets flesh-side down, pressing lightly so they cook evenly. Cook for about 4 minutes per side, until golden and slightly crispy on the outside and cooked through.
- Serve warm with the hollandaise sauce.
For the Hollandaise Sauce
- Whisk the base: Place the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl and whisk well.
- Melt the butter: Gently melt the butter in the microwave on low heat.
- Set up the bain-marie: Fill a saucepan or wok with warm water and place the bowl with the egg mixture over it (the bowl should not touch the water).
- Thicken: Whisk continuously until the mixture becomes frothy and slightly thickened.
- Add the butter: Slowly pour in the melted butter while whisking constantly to emulsify.
- Finish: Stir in the lemon juice, then season with salt, pepper, and optional cayenne.
- Serve warm.
There is nothing like a lovely piece of salmon to break up the routine of a weeknight meal. And when you don’t have a lot of time but are in the mood for an easy sit-down meal, pan-seared salmon is one quickest (and healthiest) dishes that you can put together.
Most people like pan-searing not just because it is fast, but because it is an easy way to cook fish to preserve its natural moisture, while giving it a nice crust on the outside.
Simply season with herbs and spices, and arrange the salmon fillets in a single layer and cook until the desired level of doneness has been reached.
And to add a little bit of oomph to the dish, why not add a hollandaise sauce on the side. Now, the traditional French hollandaise recipe involves a cooking technique called the bain marie.
In order to get the eggs and butter to emulsify (i.e. to combine) the eggs need to be warm, but not too warm. While it sounds intimidating, it just involves placing your preparation bowl in a bigger dish that contains hot water.
The temperature of the water for a bain marie should not exceed 150°F (65°C). The technique involves slowly combining the eggs and the melted butter while the mixing bowl is sitting in the warm water. You can read more about preparing a bain marie for the hollandaise here.
Pan-Seared Salmon with Hollandaise sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 pieces of salmon about 1.5 – 2 inches thick
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of dried coriander
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Hollandaise sauce
- 3 egg yolks
- 200 g butter
- 1/2 lemon
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
For the Salmon
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the spices, oil, and lemon juice together.
- Pat dry the salmon filets with paper towel.
- Add the salmon into the bowl and cover each one generously with the spice mixture.
- Preheat a skillet to medium temperature.
- Place the salmon filets flesh side down, pressing them lightly so it cooks evenly for around 4 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.
- Serve while warm with the hollandaise sauce.
For the Hollandaise sauce
- Place the egg yolks in a small bowl, along with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
- Whisk the mixture well.
- Melt the butter in the microwave at a low temperature, until it is soft.
- Prepare the bain marie as follows: Place warm water in a large pan or wok, and place the bowl with the egg mixture into it.
- Whisk the mixture till frothy.
- Add the melted butter slowly, whisking actively as you do.
- Stir in the lemon juice while whisking.
- Season with salt and pepper (and optional cayenne pepper).
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
You can serve this pan-seared salmon with a side dish like these saucy quenelles or this mushroom and potato gratin.
For an appetizer, you can serve it alongside these creamy scallops gratin or this zucchini flan.
What drinks to serve with it?
This pan-seared salmon with hollandaise sauce will go well with a light white wine such as reisling from Alsace, or a pouilly fuissé from Burgundy. You can read more about French wines here.
How to store it?
Yes, you can prepare this pan-seared salmon in advance, and leave it in the fridge in an airtight glass container. When ready to eat, just put them in the microwave or in the oven to make it warm again.
For the hollandaise sauce, since it contains egg yolks it cannot be frozen as it will develop bacteria. (Some websites will tell you it is possible, but there is a long list of requirements in order to stop it from spoiling and to avoid getting sick.)
Fresh is what will taste best, but you can however prepare the hollandaise sauce a day or so in advance and keep it in the fridge.
