Pan-Fried Salmon with Brown Butter and Fried Capers (Saumon
Grenobloise)
The traditional French method of making a sauce of “brown
butter” for sautéed or pan-seared fish is remarkably easy. Brown butter, in
French “Beurre Noisette” (literally hazelnut butter), is simply unsalted butter
fried in a pan until the solid bits turn light brown. In its simplest form,
with a little lemon juice and parsley, brown butter sauce is “Meunière,” most
famous with sole. A slightly darker brown butter sauce with capers is “Grenobloise”
(meaning in the style of Grenoble, a city in the Alps), which is a favorite
French way of serving pan-fried trout. With the rich flavor of salmon I like a hint
of rosemary.
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Plate: Maria Dondero, Marmalade Pottery, Athens GA |
The recipe is for four servings. For each diner, allow 4
ounces (1/4 pound) of fish.
1 pound salmon fillet, with or without skin
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons capers, drained
12 tiny leaves stripped of a sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
1-tablespoon chunks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
If fish is frozen, thaw it quickly in its plastic envelope
in slowly running room-temperature water. Remove from envelope and pat fish dry
with paper towel.
Sprinkle fish moderately on both sides with salt and pepper.
Prepare remaining ingredients and keep separate. Measure and
drain capers. If using rosemary, pick 12 tiny leaves off a sprig. Squeeze lemon
juice. Cut butter.
Heat frying pan, preferably non-stick, large enough to hold
the fish, to medium high. Add oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. When butter
fully melts, fry fish on both sides, starting with the skinless side, if the
skin is still attached. Scrape under it with a sharp spatula so fish doesn’t
stick to pan. When fish is nearly cooked in middle (twist point of sharp knife
in thickest part and look for changed color in middle), lift out onto a warm
platter. (Before you do this, you can often scrape off the skin, if present.)
Remove any bits of skin or fish from the pan, and add the
remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir it over gentle heat until bits of
solids turn golden brown. Add capers and rosemary and stir and fry for 15
seconds. Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat. Taste for salt, and add a little
if needed.
Spoon sauce and capers over the fish.
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