Pan Fried Salmon with Couscous and Spinach
3 portions
25mSimplicity shines. If you've never pan-fried Salmon before, it's a great skill to have and we'll walk you through it step-by-step.
What you will need
6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Water
10 oz. Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous
2 lb Washed Spinach
Salt
Black Pepper
1 lb Salmon Fillet
Olive Oil
(Nutritional facts 343 calories, 30.38 g fat, 14.4 g carbohydrates, 3.58 g protein, 135 mg cholesterol, 293 mg sodium)How to cook
1
MAKE THE COUSCOUS
1
Prepare couscous. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a soup pot with a lid that fits.
2
Add 1 1/4 cups of Water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3
Open the couscous box. Pull out the seasoning packet and empty it into the water.
4
Stir in the couscous. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Set a timer for 5 minutes.
5
When your timer goes off, take a fork and scrape the surface fo the couscous to fluff it up so it doesn't stick together too much as it sits. Now you can cover it up again until you're ready to serve.
BUTTER POACHED SPINACH
1
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
2
Once the butter is melted, add the washed spinach. Continue cooking over medium heat, turning the spinach frequently until all of the leaves are shiny.
3
Season as needed with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
PAN FRIED SALMON
1
Portion the salmon fillet as you see fit. Remove the scales by gently scraping with a knife against the grain of the scales. It's also a good idea to run your fingers over the meat to make sure there aren't any bones hiding in your fillet. If there are, they'll poke your fingers and you can remove them with tweezers or needle-nose pliers. If necessary, rinse the fillet with a little salt water .
2
Season the fillet on both sides with salt and black pepper.
3
Warm up some oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Wait until the oil is shimmering, nearly smoking. Hot oil is crucial to cooking salmon well.
4
When the oil is hot, place the salmon in the pan, skin-side down. Give it a little press to seal the skin to the pan. Reduce the heat slightly to medium-high. Don't touch the salmon fillet for at least 5 minutes. It's important to let the skin crisp undisturbed.
5
When the edges of the skin are golden brown, gently release under the skin with a thin steel spatula and flip the fillet over to cook the opposite side. Cook until the sides change from a light translucent orange to an opaque pink. Depending on how thick your fillet is, you may need to keep it cooking. FDA recommends 145°F internal temperature.
6
Serve with couscous and poached spinach.
7
How to Pan Fry Salmon
A perfectly cooked salmon fillet with tender flesh and crispy skin. Takes some practice, but it's worth the effort.