Skillet seared salmon with lemon garlic butter

This is my favorite way to make salmon, and I just made this simple sauce for it for the first time tonight. It was lovely over the fish, steamed broccoli, and buttered bowtie pasta. Not the easiest meal, but not the most difficult either. Lots of pots to clean up afterwards though! Lovely Sunday dinner, even the baby tore it up and asked for seconds. Next time I'll double the sauce and serve some on the side for dipping.

https://www.cookingclassy.com/skillet-seared-salmon-with-garlic-lemon-butter-sauce/

Skillet Seared Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce

Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients (with Dan's modifications)

1.25 lbs skinless salmon, cut into 5 fillets (about 1-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil, very approximately
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1/4 cup chicken broth aka 2oz
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice aka 30ml
3 Tbsp + 1 tbsp salted butter, very approximately  1 tsp honey, very approximately
(I  did not use, but recipe calls for 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, Lemon slices for garnish)

Instructions

Remove salmon fillets from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare garlic lemon butter sauce. In a small saucepan melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly golden and aromatic, about 1 - 2 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice (I premeasured these in a small mason jar). Let sauce simmer until it has reduced by half (to about 3 Tbsp), about 6 minutes. Stir in remaining butter and honey and whisk with a fork until combined. Set sauce aside or just turn off the burner.

Remove skin from salmon and slice into portion sized fillets, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a (heavy) 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (Cast iron, preheated for 5 minutes, works very well. Once oil is shimmering add salmon and cover the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side then flip - it should have a nice brown sear on the cooked side. Then cover again and cook on the opposite side until salmon has cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove from pan promptly to avoid overcooking, dry salmon is the worst.

Plate salmon (leaving oil in pan) and drizzle each serving generously with butter sauce, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon slices if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: Cooking Classy