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Pan-fried salmon filets are served with a delicious almond caper sauce in this 15-minute, Whole30 and Paleo dinner recipe. It’s an easy-as-can-be, one-pan recipe that requires only a few ingredients and is perfect for a healthy weeknight meal alongside some steamed veggies or my Half-Smashed Garlic and Dill Potatoes.
Feel free to use any salmon you like. Wild, fresh salmon is my fish of choice but a frozen filet would work in a pinch. Just be sure to let it thaw in the fridge before patting it very dry with some paper towel before cooking. Frozen fish is loaded with water and it’s important to get rid of surface moisture so that you get a delicious, golden-brown and crispy crust.
Speaking of crust, I like to dredge the salmon filets in a bit of cassava flour for added texture. You can substitute almond flour or arrowroot starch, but I prefer cassava flour if given the choice. It’s neutral in flavour and more forgiving when it comes to dredging. Arrowroot starch can get gummy if you dredge the protein (fish, chicken, beef, etc.) ahead of time.
The almond caper sauce is a mashup of two of my favourites: piccata and almondine. Toasting the almonds first is absolutely key. It brings out more of the nutty flavour and makes them a bit crunchier. Feel free to use slivered or sliced, blanched almonds.
Likewise, the almond caper sauce can be made with grass-fed butter or ghee. Butter will give you a thicker and creamier sauce. But ghee will add a more pronounced flavour. I leave the decision up to you. Either way is delicious.
Salmon with Almond Caper Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 4- ounce salmon filets
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup cassava flour, substitute arrowroot starch or almond flour
- ¼ cup blanched almonds, slivered or sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter or ghee
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon extra for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat olive oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season both sides of the salmon filets with salt and pepper. Dredge with cassava flour and cook in the hot oil, skin side-down at first, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown or to your desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer salmon to a serving platter and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add almonds. Cook, stirring, until the almonds are golden, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 60 seconds.
- Add the chicken stock and cook until reduced by ¼ in volume. Add lemon juice and capers and stir through. Add butter or ghee and stir until emulsified. Add dill and stir through. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
- Spoon the almond caper sauce over the salmon filets, garnish with remaining fresh dill and serve immediately.
About the Author
Hi, i'm Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
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