But first, I need to tell you a bit about the sauce. Are you listening? This is a very serious matter.
Despite the title of this post, I’m really writing today about the avocado, lemon, and garlic aioli: my new favorite sauce (inspired by a vegan version at oh she glows). It’s so healthy! It’s so tasty! It’s so easy to make! It’s literally perfect. Make no mistake- the salmon is absolutely delicious, and I’ll explain how to get a perfectly seared salmon filet (which is extremely easy to do), but THE SAUCE. It steals the show. Put it on salmon, put it on chicken, put it on a sandwich, throw it on a baked potato, use it as a dip, mix it in a salad, eat it with a spoon… I just worry that you are going to get married to the idea that you can only have this sauce on salmon, and that is not the case. Not at all. Now that you understand how serious this sauce is, I’ll move on :-) The whole thing is extremely healthy- full of protein and healthy fats (from the salmon, avocado, and olive oil). And it’s a great recipe for those of you who want to start eating more fish, but don’t know where to start. To make a complete and balanced meal, serve with your favorite whole grains and/or veggies. We had this last night, with some simple barley with lemon juice and garlic (read my barley risotto post for a great trick to cut the cooking time of barley in half!) and roasted brussels sprouts. And yes, I put the sauce on EVERYTHING on my plate. It was magical.
For the sauce: simply add an avocado, some Greek yogurt (mayo can also be used), garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to a food processor and blend together for one minute, or until smooth and creamy. THAT’S IT. For the perfectly seared salmon: the trick here is that you want to cook on very high heat on one side for not too long. Salmon is delicious, and is easy to make, but it’s very easy to make the mistake of overcooking it. First, rinse the salmon and pat as dry as you can with a paper towel (it will develop a better sear if it’s not wet). Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper on both sides, and place in a hot skillet (I used my cast iron skillet) with a bit more olive oil. Don’t touch it for 4-5 minutes, or until you can easily flip it over without the fish sticking to the skillet (Hey! 4-5 minutes is the perfect amount of time to make the sauce! Fancy that.) Flip the fish over with a spatula and turn off the heat, and allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes more. These times may need to be adjusted depending on how thick the fish is, but as soon as the fish is able to be flaked easily with a fork, it’s done.
Try these other easy salmon recipes:
Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies 15-Minute Perfect Poached Salmon with Chive Butter Orange Glazed Salmon Salmon, Arugula, and Feta Frittata One-Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Swiss Chard Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema Seared Salmon with Scallion Butter Garlic Poached Salmon with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce
Recipe below. Enjoy!
