This dish is one of our absolute favorite ways to prepare salmon, with a creamy tangy sauce that highlights the rich flavors of salmon along with the light but intense flavors of sour cream, lemon and dill. Quick and easy but crazy good, it’s on the table in about twenty five minutes. And sometimes we switch it up and get even more intense with a Greek inspired sauce of added feta cheese to compliment the dill. And if you want to really go wild, add some wild mushrooms and a bit of horseradish. Enjoy!
Ingredients…
4 salmon fillets, skin on or off, about 2 inches wide each
1 cup chicken bone broth or shellfish broth (we especially like clam broth)
1 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Feta cheese, thinly sliced to help it melt in (optional)
1 large shallot or 2 small ones
1/2 cup fresh dill
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 lemon juiced, and the zest from that same lemon
salt to taste, we use 1 teaspoon, sprinkled on the salmon just before searing
Cooking…
Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pan (we use a 12 inch non-stick pan) on medium heat and sear the salmon with the skin side up. Leave the salmon flesh to sear until golden brown, without moving… about 5 minutes. And then gently flip the salmon over and sear the skin side, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the butter and when melted, saute the shallots until opaque, about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and heat until aromatic.
Pour in the chicken or shellfish broth and allow it to deglaze the pan. Simmer until reduced, about 4 minutes.
Turn the heat to your lowest setting and slowly stir in the heavy cream (or creme fraiche) and the sour cream, allowing them to gently simmer until married, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle on the dill and stir in both the lemon juice and the zest.
Add back the salmon and allow to simmer on low until fully cooked and opaque, about five minutes. Salt and black pepper the sauce, to taste. Serve with a wide savory pasta or our favorite, Rebekah’s Greek oregano roasted red potatoes.
