Pan Seared Salmon With Lemon Basil Pesto Food

SEARED SALMON WITH TOASTED ALMOND PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spread out the sliced almonds in a small skillet in an even layer. Heat the almonds over medium, stirring frequently, till they became lightly toasted and aromatic. This will take a few minutes. Careful, they can go from toasted to burned very quickly. As soon as they are ready, pour them out of the skillet and into a cool bowl to stop browning. Reserve.
• Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
• In a skillet, heat olive oil over high heat till hot and just shy of smoking. Add the fillets to the skillet, top side down. Sear them on one side on high heat for 2-3 minutes till a golden brown crust forms on the meat.Without flipping the salmon, transfer the skillet to the oven and let it cook for 5-10 more minutes to desired doneness. Thicker fillets may take longer.
• While salmon is cooking, make almond pesto. Take 1/4 cup of the toasted almonds (reserve the rest) and pulse them in the processor till they are finely ground.
• Add the basil leaves and process till they're finely chopped. Scrape the sides of the processor. Add the Meyer lemon juice, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt (or more to taste-- I usually use about 1/2 tsp salt total in the pesto). Process again till all ingredients are chopped fine and well mixed.
• Scrape the sides of the processor. Secure the lid and open the pouring spout. Turn the processor on and drizzle the olive oil in very slowly through the pouring spout. It should take 2-3 minutes to drizzle in all of the oil. As the oil emulsifies with the other ingredients, a creamy pesto will form.
• Once the oil has been incorporated, scrape the sides and process for a few more seconds till the pesto mixture is smooth and creamy. Season the pesto with more salt to taste, if desired. Reserve.Remove the seared salmon from the oven. Use an oven mitt, that skillet handle will be hot!
• For each portion of salmon, spread 1 tbsp pesto in a circle on the plate. Place seared salmon fillet on top, crust side up. Top salmon fillet with another dollop of pesto and 1 tbsp toasted sliced almonds. Serve.

PESTO SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 F
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place salmon fillets skin side down. Drizzle with salt, and pepper. Spread pesto over the top of fillets with a spoon or small spatula (try to cover them as evenly as possible). Sprinkle thyme over the pesto.
• Roast the salmon 4-6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness. The fish should flake easily with a fork when it's finished.
• If the salmon has skin, remove it now if desired. It should peel off easily. Serve with lemon wedges and fresh basil (optional).

PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH LEMON GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• Use the top of a knife (the spine) to remove the scales from the fillet if still intact. Run the knife a 45-degree angle against the skin to pop the scales off and discard.
• Cut the salmon into 4 even-sized fillets, about 2-inch wide, and 6 ounces in weight, if not already portioned.
• Thoroughly dry both sides of the salmon and skin with paper towels.
• Right before cooking, season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
• Heat a 12-inch stainless steel, cast iron, or nonstick pan over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, then turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil begins to shimmer, about 1 to 2 minutes, carefully add the salmon, skin-side down, one at a time. Using the back of a spatula, immediately press the fish down into the pan for about 10 seconds. This will help reduce the buckling of the skin. Add the remaining fillets to the pan, pressing each one down before adding the next piece. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the salmon, occasionally pressing down on the flesh, until the skin is brown and crispy, and easily releases from the pan, about 5 to 6 minutes. The salmon will be about 75 to 80% cooked through.
• Use tongs to carefully flip the salmon over. Gently press the surface to make direct contact with the pan, do not move the fillets. Cook until the surface is golden brown, the edges are opaque, and the center is slightly translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes. The internal temperature should read 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium.
• Transfer the salmon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease. Do not discard the pan.
• Use a boning knife to carefully remove the skin from the salmon if still intact. Cut the salmon into 4 even-sized fillets, about 2-inch wide, and 6 ounces in weight, if not already portioned.
• Thoroughly dry the surface of the salmon and skin with paper towels.
• Right before cooking, season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
• Heat a 12-inch stainless steel, cast iron, or nonstick pan over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, then turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil begins to shimmer, about 1 to 2 minutes, carefully add the salmon one at a time, flesh side down. Using the back of a spatula, immediately press the fish down into the pan for about 10 seconds. Add the remaining fillets to the pan, pressing each one down before adding the next piece. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the salmon, occasionally pressing down on the flesh, until the surface is golden brown, crispy, and easily releases from the pan, about 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be about 75 to 80% cooked through.
• Using tongs, carefully flip the salmon over. Gently press the surface to make direct contact with the pan, do not move the fillets. Cook until the edges are opaque, and the center is slightly translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes. The internal temperature should read 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium.
• Transfer the salmon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease. Do not discard the pan.
• Heat the same pan used to cook the salmon over medium heat. Add the garlic and lemon zest, saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the butter until a lightly thickened emulsion is formed.
• Add the salmon back to the pan, garnish with dill leaves, parsley, and then drizzle with the lemon garlic sauce. Serve salmon with lemon wedges.

PAN-SEARED LEMON AND GARLIC SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place scallops in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Combine 5 tablespoons warm butter, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl; whisk until combined. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• At the same time, remove scallops from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, making sure it does not smoke. Brush scallops with garlic mixture and add to the pan. Cook until the bottoms begin to sear and turn golden, about 2 minutes. Flip scallops, brush with garlic mixture, and cook another 2 minutes. Remove scallops from the heat and let them continue to cook while they rest, off the heat, for 5 more minutes. Plate and serve.

PAN SEARED PESTO SALMON

Steps:

• Heat a dry skillet, over medium heat, and lightly toast the pine nuts.
• In a food processor, add the cooled pine nuts, basil, and garlic; pulse just to combine.
• Slowly add the olive oil, in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Pat dry the salmon with paper towels, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Heat a skillet, over medium-high heat, then spray with cooking spray.
• Cook salmon about 4 minutes per side or to desired doneness. (Do not overcook, it will continue cooking when removed from the pan.)
• Serve salmon with pesto spooned over the top.
• Cook's Note: If you like your salmon spicy, season fillets with Cajun spices before searing.

PARMESAN CRUSTED SALMON

Steps:

• Lightly season the salmon with salt and pepper. Generously coat 1side of the salmon with the finely grated Parmesan. In a non-stick saute pan, add approximately 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and place over high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the salmon in the pan cheese side down. Turn temperature down to medium heat and allow the salmon to cook about 4 minutes before flipping over. The idea is to form a nice crispy, lightly brown crust. Turn salmon and allow to cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside in a warm place until plating.
• Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Paste:
• In a blender or food processor, add the sun-dried tomatoes along with their oil, the garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil. Process the mixture on high speed approximately 1 minute until almost smooth. The mixture should be slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Basil Pesto
• In a blender or food processor, place the extra-virgin olive oil and garlic clove. Process until smooth. Add the basil leaves, and process for about 1 minute until mixture is relatively smooth. Add the Parmesan and process again until fully incorporated. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To plate:
• Place a small mound of mash potatoes in the center of the plate. Place the asparagus on top of the mashed potatoes at an angle. Then put the salmon nicely on the plate, overlapping the asparagus. Drizzle the plate with both pestos and garnish the plate with the Parmesan crisp by securing it in the bed of mashed potatoes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heavily grease a cookie sheet (parchment paper is optional, but if using parchment, make sure it is heavily greased). In a 5-inch diameter circle, sprinkle the coarsely grated Parmesan. Make sure there is just enough to fill the circle, don't over do it! Place in oven and bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool before lifting from cookie sheet. Be extremely gentle with them they are very brittle when cool.
• Cut off about 2 inches of the ends of the asparagus, as they tend to be very coarse and tough. Blanch asparagus in boiling, well-salted water until tender. Shock them in ice water to keep them from cooking any further and hold them until you are ready to plate. Right before plating, in a saute pan over a low flame, melt the butter with the asparagus. Once the asparagus are hot, season with salt and white pepper.
• Place the potatoes in cold, salted water over high heat. Cook thoroughly and strain. In a separate pot, heat heavy cream and butter. Using a potato masher, mash potatoes. Slowly incorporate the cream and butter mixture. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste.

PERFECT PAN SEARED SALMON (WITH LEMON AND BUTTER!)

Steps:

• First, prep salmon by patting it dry with a paper towel to remove moisture. Then, season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place 3-4 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon minced garlic into a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium/high heat.
• Place salmon skin-side up in the pan and sear for 4 minutes. Flip salmon and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until barely pink in the middle.
• Once flakey and cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145ºF, remove the salmon fillets from the heat.
• Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of salmon and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh dill.

PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Sprinkle salmon with salt. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add salmon. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness of fish or until fish just flakes when tested with a fork, turning once. Transfer to a serving platter. Cover; keep warm.
• For tomato pesto, add remaining oil to skillet. Add onion and dried tomatoes; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in cherry tomatoes, olives, basil, and crushed red pepper. Stir to heat through. Season to taste with salt.
• Spoon tomato mixture over salmon. Top with additional fresh basil and serve with cooked pasta and pepperoncini peppers, if desired.

PAN-SEARED CRISPY SALMON

Steps:

• 1. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan. Place the salmon, skin-side down, in the pan and cook (without moving the fish) until the skin is crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, turn the salmon, and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon oil in another saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and leek; saute for 3 to 5 minutes until the leak begins to soften.
• 3. Add the cannellini beans and the wine; bring to a gentle simmer. Add the butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LINGUINE AL PESTO

Steps:

• To toast the pine nuts get a pan sauté pan very hot, then turn off the heat, and add the pine nuts to the pan. Keep the pine nuts moving around so they toast without burning.*If the pine nuts start to smoke take the pan off the heat.
• Remove the leaves from the basil and parsley, do not use the stems
• Place the basil and parsley into the food processor, Pulse it until the greens are very well minced
• Add the garlic, toasted pine nuts, and grated Romano Cheese, pulse to combine
• Drizzle in the Olive Oil until it has a nice smooth consistency without looking oily
• cook linguine per instructions on the box
• wash and clean your scallops (remove the little piece of side mussel)
• pat dry the scallops with paper towels
• sprinkle the old bay on both sides of the scallops
• get your pan very hot
• add enough olive oil to have a light coating in the pan
• add the scallops carefully, not over crowding the pan (too many scallops will bring down the temperature of the pan)
• most importantly once you place the scallops in the pan, do not move them!
• allow the scallop to sear on one side for two minutes, when you turn one scallop you should begin to see a nice caramel color as a light crust forms. If your scallop looks like this continue turning them, if not let them cook a little longer.
• after turning the scallop continue cooking, being careful not to over cook them.
• a scallop will be just a little translucent in the center when it is done (the scallop will continue to cook after you've removed it from the pan)
• look at the scallop from the side to determine if it is done.
• the scallop should be a little springy when you push it with your fingers, if it is firm, its overcooked**
• this is a matter of timing, while the scallops are searing, the pasta should just be getting done; you want to toss the linguine with a few large spoonfuls of the pesto (use as much or as little as you like), as soon as you drain it.
• place the linguine with the pesto back in the pot, and hold on the back of the stove(off burner) until your scallops are done.
• plate pasta and top with scallops, serve immediately!

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH AN HERB PESTO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make the basil vinaigrette and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium- high heat.
• Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper on both sides, and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
• Transfer the salmon filets to the hot skillet, skin side down. Cook the filets for 4-5 minutes on each side, until just lightly pink in the center. Serve immediately over a bed of rice and top with the basil pesto vinaigrette.

PAN SEARED SALMON AND SCALLOPS WITH MACADAMIA-CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Prepare macadamia-cilantro pesto by placing macadamia nuts, cilantro, green onion, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and macadamia nut oil into the bowl of a blender. Puree until smooth, adding more oil if needed; season to taste with kosher salt.
• Heat two very large skillets over medium-high heat with two tablespoons of oil each until smoking. Season the salmon and scallops to taste with kosher salt. Sear salmon fillets, meat-side down, until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip over, and cook on the skin-side 5 minutes to desired doneness. Place seared salmon onto serving plates, then sear the scallops until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• To serve, spoon some of the macadamia-cilantro pesto over the salmon, and garnish with two seared scallop pieces.

BAKED SALMON WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375F with rack on lower middle position. Line a large sheet pan with foil and grease the foil with some olive oil. Set aside.
• Remove Moisture: Use paper towels to pat-dry the salmon fillet, ensuring that all excess moisture is removed (this step is important, as excess water/moisture causes fish to be "steamed" instead.) Place salmon on the prepared sheet pan.
• Mix Seasonings: In a small bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients until combined. Evenly press the mixture over the top of salmon.
• Bake: Bake salmon for 10 minutes in preheated oven. Carefully but quickly take salmon out, move rack to top position underneath the broiler, and place salmon tray back on rack.
• Broil: Broil on high for up to 5 minutes or until top is nicely browned, but watch carefully for even browning without burning. Remove from heat immediately. Serve with extra slices of lemon.

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH LEMON BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Heat a dry skillet, over medium heat, and lightly toast pine nuts (gently toss and shake pan occasionally); then place in a food processor.
• To the food processor, add basil and garlic; pulse just to combine.
• With processor running, drizzle in olive oil, and process, scraping down sides once or twice with a rubber spatula, to desired consistency (I like it sort of chunky).
• Add in Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste; pulse to combine; set aside.
• Wipe the salmon dry with paper towels (to allow a nice sear), then season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Heat the skillet, over medium-high heat, then spray with cooking spray.
• Cook salmon about 4 minutes per side or to desired doneness (I like it a little pinkish in the center since it will continue cooking a little when removed from the pan).
• Serve salmon with pesto spooned over top.
• Can also be served at room temperature.

PESTO CRUSTED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Stir the panko and pesto together, to form a crumbly topping. It should be the consistency of wet sand. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Lightly season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper on both sides, then coat each piece of salmon with the pesto crumb topping. Divide the mixture evenly, and use all of it.
• Spray the coated salmon pieces with cooking spray or olive oil. Bake the salmon at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the topping is golden brown and the salmon is cooked through.

CRISPY PAN SEARED SALMON

Steps:

• Pat salmon dry on both sides and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Make seasoning mix & season salmon. In small bowl, mix together the dry oregano, garlic powder and paprika. Season the flesh side of the fish with this spice mixture.
• Sear the Salmon. In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add one salmon fillet, skin-side down, and press the top with the back of a fish spatula for about 10 seconds (this prevents the skin from curling up.) Add the remaining salmon fillets, one at a time, pressing each with the spatula for 10 seconds. Cook for about 4 minutes. If skin resists lifting (or if it's sticking to the pan), allow the fish to cook for a little bit longer until you are able to lift up easily (no more than 6 minutes in total). Using the spatula and a fork to assist in flipping, flip the fish to the flesh side to cook for about 15 seconds or so. ( Salmon is ready when it registers 110°F (43°C) in the very center for rare, 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium, 5 to 7 minutes total.)
• Remove salmon from heat and immediately add lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Make arugula salad. In a bowl, add the baby arugula. Season with salt and add juice of ½ lemon and extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine.
• Serve salmon with arugula salad (or any of the sides or salads suggested in the post). Enjoy!

PAN SEARED SALMON RECIPE

Steps:

• If your salmon fillets are not descaled, use a knife to gently scrape off the scales.
• In a small bowl, mash together the butter, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and parsley. Set aside.
• Use paper towels to pat the salmon fillets completely dry - this will ensure even browning.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until shimmering and hot. (You can test that it's hot enough by adding a drop of water to the pan; if it sizzles, the pan is ready.)
• Once the pan is hot, right before you are ready to sear the salmon, season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
• Add the fish fillets to the pan in a single layer, skin side down. Use a fish spatula to press down on top of each fillet for the first 10 seconds immediately after adding it to the pan, to prevent curling. Sear, without moving, for 5-6 minutes, until the salmon is 80-90% opaque; only the top will be not quite done.
• Use the fish spatula to flip the salmon fillets. Working quickly, immediately add the herb butter mixture to the pan near (but not on top of) the salmon. Cook the salmon for about 1 minute, stirring the butter around the salmon as it melts, but without moving the salmon, until the seared salmon internal temperature reaches your desired doneness: 125 degrees F (51 degrees C) for medium rare, 130 degrees F (54 degrees C) for medium, or 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for well done.
• Flip salmon over and spoon the lemon butter sauce over it. Remove from the pan immediately to avoid overcooking.

PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH PUMPKIN SEED-CILANTRO PESTO

Steps:

• Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds; sauté until beginning to brown and pop, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to paper towels to drain; let cool. Reserve skillet.
• Pulse 6 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, cilantro, coriander seeds, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 cup oil, then 1/4 cup water, blending until coarse purée forms. Season pesto to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.
• Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in reserved skillet over medium heat. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook until just opaque in center, 3-4 minutes per side. Place fillets on plates. Spoon pesto over. Garnish with remaining pumpkin seeds. Serve with lime wedges.

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat dry room temperature salmon filets with paper towel. Season all over with salt, pepper. Squeeze 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice over each filet, and rub all the flavour in.
• Heat the olive in a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place salmon filets flesh side down, pressing them lightly so the entire surface of the flesh comes into contact with the pan. Sear, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden.
• Flip and sear the other side of each filet for TWO minutes. Add in the butter, chopped garlic, 3 tablespoons of parsley, remaining lemon juice and lemon slices. Stir the butter and garlic around each filet.
• Continue to cook the salmon for a further 1-2 minutes, or until salmon reaches desired doneness. (The butter will begin to brown slightly.) Taste test and season with salt and pepper to your tastes, and add more lemon juice if desired.
• Garnish with the remaining parsley and drizzle the butter over each filet. Serve immediately.