Information
15min
50min
2
It doesn’t take much to make salmon shine, but this quick brown butter sauce spiked with capers and lemon brings it to the next level. Save on dishes by making the sauce in the same pan you sear the salmon in.
Ingredients
Broccolini
- 1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pearl Couscous
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- Juice of ½ lemon
Brown Butter Caper Salmon
- 1 (8 to 10 ounce portion) salmon, pin bones removed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
- Juice of ½ lemon
Directions
Roast the Broccolini
Preheat the oven to 400˚F and position a rack in the center.
On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the broccolini and drizzle with the olive oil and season with the salt. Roast until slightly charred, about 20 minutes.
Make the Couscous
In a small pot over high heat, bring the vegetable stock and salt to a boil. Add the couscous, cover, and simmer over low heat until just tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer the couscous to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice.
Make the Salmon and Sauce
Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the salmon, skin-side up and cook, without moving, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully flip the salmon over and cook until the salmon is just cooked through and easily flakes around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer salmon to a cutting board and cut into 2 pieces. Transfer to 2 plates.
Let the pan cool for 5 minutes, then add the butter and return to low heat. Cook until the butter turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the capers and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
Finish and Serve
Pour the brown butter caper sauce over the salmon and serve the couscous and broccolini alongside.
Pro tips
Pair It Up
Look for a southern Italian white wine called Fiano. It has enough body to stand up to the brown butter but enough freshness to work with the broccolini.
Change It Up
Combine any leftover couscous with a bit of parmesan and press onto leftover salmon to form a crust. Broil until golden brown.
Switch It Up
To make this keto-friendly, swap the couscous with sautéed cauliflower rice and double the butter.
Alexis deBoschnek
Alexis deBoschnek is a recipe developer and host based in the Catskills in Upstate, New York. She’s the former Senior Test Kitchen Manager at BuzzFeed's Tasty and has contributed recipes to Food52, The Kitchn, Tasting Table, and Chowhound. She's currently working on her first cookbook, coming out in 2022.
