Pan Fried Salmon Fillet with Dill Cream Sauce

Salmon is one of my favourite types of fish. It can be expensive, however, especially if we are fortunate enough to have the chance to buy wild salmon, which are of course under threat today in so many ways. It is vital, therefore, when we are cooking salmon, that we do not overcook it. Like tuna, salmon should retain that under-cooked, moist centre when we put it on the plate.

The quantities in this delicious recipe are stated per person.

Ingredients

1 salmon loin fillet (skin on - this is very important)
2 medium potatoes
3 or 4 florets of broccoli
2 tbsp double cream (use heavy cream in the USA)
1 large pinch of dried dill weed
1 small garlic clove (optional)
2 tsp plain flour
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Butter and sunflower oil for frying

Method

The first step is to get the potatoes on to boil. Especially if the potatoes are new, I like to leave the skins on but this is of course optional. Chop them to the desired size and put them in salted boiling water to simmer for half an hour.

When the potatoes have been on for twenty minutes, put the broccoli in to a separate pot or pan of boiling water. It is imperative that we do not overcook broccoli as it will become soggy and extremely unpalatable. Eight minutes only is the timescale for boiling broccoli - no more!

Put a little sunflower oil and a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan and gently heat. Spread the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper before patting the skin side only of the salmon in it. Shake off the excess flour and place the salmon skin-side down in the frying pan. Turn the heat up to medium.

Drain the broccoli and subsequently the potatoes. Add a little butter and dill weed if required to the potatoes and swirl them around to fully coat them.

When the salmon appears from the side to have cooked just over half-way through, switch the pan off and remove it from the heat. Turn the salmon fillet (s) over and leave them to finish cooking in the residual heat while you quickly prepare your sauce.

It is imperative that you use double or heavy/whipping cream for the sauce. Single/light cream will split during the cooking process and ruin your sauce. Gently heat the cream in a small saucepan, along with the crushed garlic if required, until it begins to simmer. Add the pinch of dill, stir well and you are ready to plate up.

Place the salmon on the plate skin-side up. The skin should have crisped up and peel off easily, perhaps with the gentle aid of a knife. Add the potatoes and broccoli and finally spoon the sauce over the salmon.