This crispy skin pan fried salmon and a creamy spinach sauce are a simple lunch or dinner that can be made in 20 minutes. It is packed full with flavours and textures and yet, so simple to make. It serves 4 four people. Or two very hungry ones!
Salmon
Since I moved to Scandinavia, Salmon is the kind of fish I use more often. I didn’t like it so much before, maybe because I had plenty of Mediterranean fish to choose from and available every day. Anyhow, since I moved, I started eating a lot of salmon and I like it much better now.
The fact that I like most about it, is that it is so versatile. I like making it in the pan, in the oven, as a part of a soup or stew or smoked and cured. There are plenty options to choose from and I am constantly trying some new ways and combinations of preparing it.
In this recipe, or whenever salmon is being pan fried and with skin on, the key is to make the skin crispy. When pan frying the salmon, it is a shame for me to not have skin on it. When done right, thats the best part of the fillet.
All the other ways of preparing salmon do not provide a tasty salmon skin. At least for me. Because it is not crispy enough.
How to prepare it
You need to heat up the pan quite well and then place your seasoned salmon skin side down. Skin goes down to get crispy. I usually use smaller fillets, like these on the photos, and I cook them quite shortly. Approximately 3-4 minutes on the skin side, and then maybe 2 minutes on the other side. I always track it by the colour change. You can clearly see it on the salmon. He is very orange at the beginning and then turns into orange-white colour when done.
I also like adding one or two crushed garlic cloves in the pan, to release the flavour, as well as some dill. Dill goes great with salmon. By the end, add a little butter to add on silkiness of the fish.
Prepare all the ingredients in advance because we are going to use them fast. Mince the garlic, wash the spinach and prepare cream cheese, cream and milk.
You are going to pan fry your salmon properly, set it aside and use the same pan to shortly sauté minced garlic on a little olive oil. Then add the spinach in and let it wilt. It’s done in two to three minutes all-together.
Pour in cream, milk and add cream cheese. Bring everything to a boil and season to taste.
Put salmon fillets back in, skin side up and serve together rice or mashed potato.
Your delicious lunch or dinner is done literally in 20 minutes!
Crispy skin pan-fried salmon in creamy spinach sauce
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets
- 2 garlic cloves
- 120 g spinach 4.23 oz
- 100 ml cream ½ cup
- 100 ml milk ½ cup
- 1 tbsp cream cheese
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients. Mince the garlic and wash the spinach.
- Heat up the pan and prepare salmon first. Make sure to fry it skin side down first and not to overcook it.
- Once salmon is done, set is aside.
- Using the same pan, sauté finely chopped garlic, add spinach and let it wilt. It’s done in 2-3 min all-together. Pour in cream, milk and add cream cheese.
- Bring everything to a boil and season to taste.
- Put the salmon back in, skin side up, and serve over rice or mashed potato.
