Sautéed Salmon

Sautéed Salmon in Lemon Caper Butter

With any fish, freshness is of the greatest importance.  Here are two reliable indicators of freshness.
Look at the gill tissues inside the gill slits: they should be a bright vermilion orange, not blue.  If the head
has been cut off, or as a second test, press down on the skin of the fish with a finger, choosing a spot where
the flesh is thick and plump.  Pull your finger away rapidly and observe: the depression made by your finger
should briskly rebound to its original shape.  If the tissue rebounds sluggishly or not at all, or if the gills are
anything but bright red-orange, don't buy the fish.  It will only disappoint you.   Find another, fresher fish
or change your menu.
As much as possible, salmon fillets should be of a uniform thickness so that no part is over or undercooked.
This is a little tricky.   If portions have been cut from a skinned boned half fish as they usually are the portions
will be roughly triangular in cross section and the thin part will overcook before the thick part is done.  To
avoid this, make a cut down the length of the fish about one third of the way in from the thinner edge.  Cut
fillets from the thicker two thirds and they will be of much more even thickness.   The thinner third can be cut
into small fillets and served to those with smaller appetites.  Of course, these smaller portions will cook
more quickly.
The cooking time recommended here is for fillets about an inch thick and about four inches square.  When
cooked perfectly, the outer parts of the fillets should be opaque but the centers should be just slightly
opalescent.  The centers should be warm and cooked, not raw, but not completely opacified.  Cooked this way,
the fish will utterly succulent!

Ingredients:
Half a lemon
One tablespoon (15 ml) capers
One tablespoon (15 ml) butter
One tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
Four salmon fillets, cut as described above

Method:
Have the fish ready at hand.  Grate the zest of the lemon into a small bowl.  Squeeze the juice into the same
bowl and remove any seeds.  Rinse and blot dry the capers and add them to the same bowl.  Set this bowl
near the stove.
Heat a twelve inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and melt a tablespoon of butter mixed with a
tablespoon of olive oil.   When the butter is bubbling, add the fillets skin side up.  Cook for exactly two minutes,
swirling the fillets in the pan once during this time to be sure they are not stuck to the pan.  Turn the fillets
and cook for exactly two more minutes.   About one minute before they are done pour the lemon-caper mixture
over the fillets, swirl the pan, and reduce.   When the last minute has elapsed, plate the fish skin side down.
Pour the pan sauce over the fillets and serve immediately.
Notice how in the lower picture the salmon is moist and red in its center.  It's not overcooked!  This dish is
very good with a small portion of pasta with Alfredo sauce.