Seared Salmon with Spinach and a Lemon Dill Sauce

My riff on a Diane Morrissey recipe (her recipes are gold!). I share her opinion that the best way to cook salmon is to sear the flesh, not skin side. Not a huge fish skin fan.

Seared Salmon with a Lemon Dill Sauce

2 tablespoons avocado oil or other high-heat oil
1 pound of salmon, cut into filets
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
6 ounces baby spinach
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ cups chicken broth
Juice of one lemon
½ cup half and half
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh dill

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.  Let it warm for a good 3-5 minutes. You want the oil very hot for a good sear on the salmon.

While the oil heats, pat the salmon filets and sprinkle the flesh (not skin) side of the Salmon with salt and pepper. 

Place the salmon, flesh side down, in the pan and let it sit (for a good sear do not move it) for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the salmon from the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add the spinach, and stir as it wilts for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic, and let cook for about 30 seconds and then deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and lemon juice, scraping the bottom to release all the good flavor on the pan.

In a small bowl, mix the half and half, mustard, honey, and cornstarch. Whisk well to combine and then temper it (add a bit of the hot broth from the pan, using a ladle) to make sure it isn’t too cold going into the broth.

Add the half and half mixture to the pan and stir until it begins to simmer and thicken.

Add the salmon back into the pan, sprinkle with dill,  and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Serve over rice, quinoa, or whatever sounds good to you!

Serves 4.