Recipe Book

Everything Salmon with Creamy Caper Sauce

Salmon 30 min

Adapted from NYT Cooking (Carolina Gelen)

Ingredients

  • 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon
  • to taste salt
  • 4 tbsp 60 ml neutral oil (avocado or grapeseed)
  • 2 beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup 80 ml everything bagel seasoning
  • 4 skin-on salmon fillets (6–8 oz each)
  • 4 oz 115 g cream cheese
  • 2 tbsp 30 ml capers in brine, drained, plus brine

Method

  1. Add the onion to a medium bowl, fill with cold water, and swish under the water. Drain and repeat once more to soften the onion's sharp bite.
  2. Zest the lemon and reserve. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice (about half the lemon), a pinch of salt, and 1 tbsp oil to the onions. Massage with your hands until the onions go from crisp to soft and lightly pink. Add the tomatoes and toss. Taste and adjust salt.
  3. Spread the everything seasoning on a plate.
  4. Season the fish with salt on all sides. Leaving the skin uncoated, dip each fillet in the seasoning until evenly coated on the remaining sides.
  5. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium. Sear the fillets skin-side down 4–5 minutes, until the skin releases easily and is crisp. Reduce heat to medium-low, flip, and sear seasoning-side down 2–3 minutes, checking underneath occasionally so the seasoning doesn't burn. Transfer to a plate.
  6. Wipe the pan clean of any leftover seasoning with a paper towel.
  7. Over low heat, break the cream cheese into chunks in the pan. Add the capers, caper brine, the remaining lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest, and 3 tbsp water. Mix vigorously until melted and creamy, about 3 minutes. Season with salt or extra caper brine to taste.
  8. Dollop the sauce onto plates, top with the fish, and serve the onion-tomato salad alongside. Garnish with more capers if desired.

Notes