Salmon Recipe

Prepare salmon

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Check for any pin bones and remove with tweezers if present. Place fillets skin-side down in a shallow dish or rimmed baking sheet.

Make marinade

In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, chopped dill, salt and black pepper. Whisk until honey dissolves and ingredients are well combined.

Marinate

Pour half of the marinade over the salmon, reserving the other half for basting/finishing. Turn fillets to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes (no more than 45 minutes) to allow flavor to penetrate. If short on time, rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat and prepare pan or oven

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if baking, or heat a large nonstick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat for pan-searing. If baking, line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and lightly oil it.

Sear (optional) and bake method

For best texture: add 1 tbs olive oil or the reserved butter to the hot skillet. Once shimmering, place salmon fillets skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for 15 seconds to ensure even contact. Sear 2–3 minutes until skin is crisp. Transfer fillets skin-side down to the oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 6–8 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 125–130°F (52–54°C) for medium. Remove from oven and let rest 2–3 minutes; carryover will bring temperature up slightly. If you prefer stovetop-only, after searing reduce heat to medium-low, cover loosely and cook 4–6 more minutes until done.

Pan-seared only method

If you are not using the oven: after searing skin-side down for 2–3 minutes, flip the fillets and cook flesh-side down 2–4 minutes more depending on thickness until internal temp reaches 125–130°F (52–54°C).

Baste and finish

During the last minute of cooking, brush the reserved marinade over the fillets and add the 1 tbs butter to the pan so it melts and glosses the fish. Spoon melted butter and pan juices over the fillets once removed from heat.

Rest and garnish

Transfer salmon to a serving plate skin-side down. Let rest 2–3 minutes. Top with lemon slices and sprinkle chopped parsley or extra dill. Serve immediately.