There’s nothing like fresh salmon that’s been pan fried to crispy-skinned perfection. Done so that it just melts in your mouth as you take a bite, and explodes with flavor as you chew. The delicious cream sauce is subtly seasoned so the distinct flavor of the salmon still comes through.
This would also go fantastic with some bacon wrapped asparagus on the side. Drizzle any leftover sauce on the asparagus for a truly beautiful meal! If you’re making this for a significant other, they will really appreciate the time and effort you put into the dish and love every single bite of it. It’s up to standard with what I’ve had in restaurants before, and it’s about one third of the price you’ll pay!
If you’re more of a fan of cold sauces on hot food – you can always do this with mayonnaise and the spices included in the sauce (instead of butter and heavy cream). This way you can get a great consistency on the sauce and be able to serve it by the spoonful over your salmon.
Note: I like my flavors to be quite strong, so if you’re not a fan of very in-your-face flavors, make sure to use 3/4 tsp. spices instead of 1 tsp. when seasoning the fish. I think that most people like the same flavor strength as I do, but I just wanted to add it in there if you prefer milder spices.
Yields 2 servings of Salmon with Tarragon Dill Cream Sauce
The Preparation
Salmon Fillets:
- 8 ounces salmon
- 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 3/4 teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon ghee
Cream Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
The Execution
1. Slice the salmon in half to create 2 1/4 lb. filets. Season meat of fish with tarragon, dill weed, and salt and pepper. Turn around and season skin with salt and pepper only.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. duck fat in a ceramic cast iron skillet over medium heat (or any pan that will hold heat well). Once hot, add salmon skin side down.
3. Allow salmon to cook for 4-6 minutes while skin crisps up. Once the skin is crisp, reduce to low heat and flip salmon.
4. Cook salmon until done-ness you want is achieved. Generally about 7-15 minutes over low heat. Optional: If desired, cook on sides for 20-40 seconds to get darker edges.
5. Remove salmon from the pan and set aside. Add butter and spices to the pan and let brown. Once browned, add cream mix together.
6. Serve with broccoli or asparagus (or your favorite side dish) and be generous with cream sauce. Garnish with a small amount of red pepper flakes.
This makes a total of 2 servings of Salmon with Tarragon Dill Cream Sauce. Each serving comes out to be 498 calories, 42.7g fats, 1.4g net carbs, and 26.3g protein.
| NUTRITION | CALORIES | FAT | CARBS | FIBER | NET CARBS | PROTEIN |
| 8 ounce salmon | 467 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.1 |
| 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon | 2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| 3/4 teaspoon dried dill | 2 | 0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| — salt and pepper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 tablespoon ghee | 115 | 12.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 tablespoon butter | 203 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon | 2 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| 1/2 teaspoon dried dill | 1 | 0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| — salt and pepper | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream | 202 | 21.5 | 1.6 | 0 | 1.6 | 1.7 |
| Totals | 996 | 85.5 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 52.6 |
| Per Serving (/2) | 498 | 42.7 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 26.3 |
Salmon with Tarragon Dill Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Salmon Fillets:
- 8 ounce salmon
- ¾ teaspoon dried tarragon
- ¾ teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon ghee
Cream Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Slice the salmon in half to create smaller fillets. Season the fish with tarragon, dill, salt and pepper. Flip over and season the skin with salt and pepper only.
- Heat ghee in a ceramic cast-iron skillet (or any pan that will hold heat well) over a medium heat. Once hot, add the salmon skin-side down.
- Allow the salmon to cook for 4–6 minutes while the skin crisps up. Once crisp, reduce to low heat and flip the salmon.
- Cook to the desired level of doneness (generally about 7–15 minutes on low heat). Optional: If desired, cook for 20–40 seconds on the sides to get darker edges.
- Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside. Add the butter and spices to the pan and let brown. Once browned, add in the heavy whipping cream and stir to combine.
- Serve the salmon with broccoli or asparagus (or a favorite side dish) with the cream sauce slathered on top.
