Pan Fried Salmon with Basil Sauce is one of the easiest tastiest dinners you can make! This salmon is a restaurant standard dish that you can make easily at home in 30 minutes! This is my main course on my Valentine’s menu for this year.
This is one of the best salmon recipes I’ve ever made. By frying the salmon, the skin stays crisp while the inside stays moist and tender. This salmon just melts in your mouth which is why salmon is such a popular fish. The basil sauce is very easy to make and flavours the salmon beautifully. If you love pesto, you’ll love this sauce.
This recipe is perfect paired with couscous and French beans or asparagus but the basil sauce is the pièce de résistance and will become your secret weapon for all your seafood recipes. It also works well with other fish like hake, sole, scallops among others.
With minimal ingredients and basic cooking skills you can make a restaurant standard dish at home. Make sure you cook the salmon properly. Just follow my tips below and it will turn out amazingly!
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Pan fried Salmon with Basil Sauce is one of the easiest, tastiest dinners you can make! This salmon is a restaurant standard dish made at home in 30 minutes.
- 2 salmon fillets skin on (150g each approx.)
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- 1/4 onion, finely minced
- 1 cup (15g) of fresh basil, stems removed
- 1/2 cup fish stock or use just water
- 1/4 cup of double cream
- 1/2 tsp of cornstarch + 1 tsp water
- 1/2 tsp of sea salt (or more to taste)
- ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of couscous
- 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
- 150 g of French beans or green asparagus
- 1 Tbsp sliced almonds
Remove the salmon fillets from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Meanwhile make the basil sauce.
Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper.
Drizzle some olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer reduce the heat a bit, add the fish and cook skin side down for about 4-6 minutes. (I prefer my salmon to be a bit undercooked so I cook it for 4’)
ºFlip the salmon fillet and cook briefly on the other side, about 1 minute. Place the salmon on the couscous. Add the French beans to the side and sprinkle with some almond flakes. Drizzle each serving generously with basil sauce. Garnish with some basil leaves and enjoy!
Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a small saucepan. Sauté the onion over a medium heat for 2-3’. Add the basil and cook for a few seconds.
Stir in ½ cup of water or fish stock. Simmer for 4’ or until it has reduced a bit. Add the double cream and cook for 2’ more.
Remove from the heat and place in a blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste, then blend together. Pour it in the saucepan and keep on a low heat.
In a small bowl combine ½ tsp of cornstarch with 1 tsp of cold water and then add it to the hot sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer until the starchy taste has boiled away, about 3’.Set the sauce aside.
Place a medium saucepan over a high heat with ½ cup of water, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 Tbsp of lemon juice; bring to the boil.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the couscous. Cover; let stand until the liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes) Fluff with a fork; add a bit of lemon zest and adjust the seasoning. Divide between two plates. Set aside.
Sauté the French beans in a saucepan with 1 Tbsp of olive oil over a medium heat for 10' or until tender. Set aside.
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