Best Braised Salmon Recipes

CRISP SALMON WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add cabbage, 1/2 teaspoon salt, vinegar, and 1/2 cup water to pan; raise heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until cabbage begins to wilt and liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Transfer cabbage to a bowl; cover with foil to keep warm.
• Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat. Season skinless sides of fillets with pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fillets, skin-sides down, in hot skillet. Cook, without turning, until skin is very crisp and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn fillets; cook until flesh is opaque, about 3 minutes. Transfer fillets to a plate, and loosely cover with foil. Keep skillet on stove with heat off.
• Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel; place over medium-high heat. Add mustard and 1/2 cup water to skillet; when the water begins to bubble, whisk until smooth. Cook mixture until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Divide cabbage among four plates, and top with fillets. Drizzle mustard sauce over fillets. Season with pepper, and serve immediately.

BRAISED SALMON WITH SOY-GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• In 10-inch skillet (preferably nonstick), heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot. Add salmon and cook 3 minutes or until brown on one side. Flip and brown other side, about 3 minutes longer.
• In small bowl, mix all sauce ingredients. Add mixture to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Cover and cook 8 to 12 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Place salmon on serving plates and drizzle with sauce.

BRAISED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pat the salmon fillets dry with towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large oven-safe saute pan. Add fish to pan, flesh side down, and sear on both sides until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add potatoes and all the vegetables, saffron, and tomato paste to the pan and saute until vegetables are translucent. Add the stock and stir well to combine. Add a small handful of fresh herbs, and then place the salmon fillets back in the pan on top of the vegetables.
• Cover and place the pan in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the fish is cooked to your desired degree of doneness.

CORNED SALMON WITH WILTED SAVOY CABBAGE AND BRAISED FINGERLING POTATOES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together salt, coriander seeds, brown sugar, black peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves. Rub salt mixture all over salmon fillets and place in a shallow baking dish; let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes. Rinse salmon and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Heat grapeseed oil in a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, flesh side down, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to high and carefully turn salmon. Transfer skillet to oven and cook for 4 minutes. Remove salmon from pan and let stand 3 minutes before serving with cabbage and potato; drizzle with coulis.

QUICK-BRAISED SALMON AND LETTUCE

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt butter over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes. Add lemon zest and broth and bring to a simmer. Season salmon with salt and pepper and add to pot. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add lettuce (pot will be full), cover, and cook until lettuce is wilted and salmon is cooked through, 9 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with dill and broth if desired.

BRAISED SALMON MEDITERRANEAN STYLE

Steps:

• Prepare the fruit and vegetable garnish. Peel the carrot and slice in thin half moons. Slice the celery branches and peel the clementines and remove as much as the white filaments as possible. Cube the tomato, and peel and thinly slice the onion.
• In a medium size pot, add the water, clementine juice, white wine, red wine vinegar and olive oil and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, onions, celery and tomato and salt and pepper (it should taste under-seasoned, as it will go through reduction). Then cover, lower the heat and let cook for 10 to 15 minutes while you prepare the fish.
• Remove any dark flesh from the fish if present. Wash the lettuce leaves, remove the hard white part and blanch the lettuce by plunging them in boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds, until it becomes limp and dark green. Remove and refresh immediately in cold water. When cold, drain and squeeze out the excess water.
• Then season each piece of salmon individually on both sides, and wrap them neatly in the lettuce leaves so that you get nice small bundles. Place the fish in the braising liquid, on top of the vegetables. The liquid should reach halfway up the sides of the salmon. Lower the heat to very low, cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. (The cooking time depends on your preferences. Some people like their fish slightly underdone in the middle, others like it cooked through. Check the inside of one fish by gently pulling the lettuce aside and separate the flakes of the salmon. The inside color will tell you how done it is. The best is when it is slightly orange inside and pink on the outside)
• When the fish is cooked, remove from the pot and reduce the cooking liquid by 1/3 to 1/2, until full-flavored. Add the clementine segments to warm them. Do not allow them to overcook and fall apart. Check the seasoning and add the lemon juice.
• Place each piece of fish in a small soup plate. Surround the fish with a nice mix of garnish and cover it with the cooking juice. Decorate with pieces of black olives, sliced scallion, and little celery leaves bouquets. Finally, brush the fish with some olive oil to make it shiny, and serve immediately.

HORSERADISH-CRUSTED CHINOOK SALMON WITH BRAISED GREENS AND ROASTED NEW POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and coat a baking sheet with oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
• Place the potatoes, cut side down, on the tray and place in the preheated oven. Roast until just golden brown and just tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and hold them in a warm place.
• Mix the horseradish, parsley, lemon zest, mustard, and 2 tablespoons of garlic in a small bowl. When it is evenly combined, add the bread crumbs and toss them gently. Drizzle 3 ounces of the olive oil over the crumb mixture and stir gently taking care not to break up the crumbs or make the mixture too heavy. Season the mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper then heat the canola oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. When the oil just begins to smoke, sear the salmon paves, topside down, 2 pieces at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a lightly greased baking tin, placing the seared side up and repeat the process with the other 2 pieces of salmon. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the fish creating an even layer 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Roast the salmon until the crust is golden brown and fish is just firm, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
• While the salmon is baking, bring the fish stock, remaining 1 ounce olive oil, and remaining tablespoon of garlic to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Then add the braising greens, cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the greens are wilted. Add the lemon juice and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the greens in the center of 4 shallow bowls surrounded by the roasted potatoes and braising liquid. Top each with a roasted pave of salmon.

OVEN-BRAISED SALMON WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Run your fingers down each salmon fillet to locate the pin bones and pull them out with tweezers or needle-nose pliers. Put the fillets in 2 large roasting pans. Pour half of the wine and half of the Pernod around the salmon in each pan. Scatter half of the sliced fennel over each fillet. Roast until salmon is just cooked through, about 30 minutes, basting from time to time.
• Using 2 long spatulas, carefully transfer the fillets to platters. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the watercress with the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the watercress around the salmon. Chop the fennel greens, and sprinkle them over the top.

SALMON FILLETS BRAISED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, place one tablespoon of the butter, a quarter cup of the shallots, the onions, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring, for one minute over a medium-high flame. Chop the fish bones and head coarsely and add them to the pan. Cook and stir for two minutes. Pour three cups of the wine and the water into the pan, then add the bay leaf, thyme and parsley. Reduce the cooking liquid for 45 minutes over a medium-low flame, or until it reaches about one cup. Strain the broth into a pan. Discard the vegetables.
• Select a pan large enough to hold the fish in one layer. Rub the bottom of the dish with a half teaspoon of butter and sprinkle the remaining shallots over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the fish, skin side down, in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper generously. Add the remaining half cup of wine and fish broth. Dot the fish with one tablespoon of the butter.
• Place the pan over a medium-high flame and cook, covered, for about 90 seconds, flip the fillets gently and cook another 90 seconds (cooking time may vary with thickness of the fish). The salmon should be just barely cooked in the center; do not overcook.
• Transfer the fish to a serving dish, cover with foil and keep it warm.
• Over a high flame, reduce the cooking liquid to about one cup. Strain it through a fine sieve and into a saucepan. Swirl in the remaining butter and, while hot, spoon the sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.

BRAISED SALMON WITH SOY AND GINGER

Steps:

• Cut the salmon into 1" squares.
• Heat the olive oil in a 12" nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add the salmon cubes and ginger.
• Sear together for about 1 minute, then pour the mirin, soy sauce, and vodka over the salmon.
• Turn the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes, until the fish turns pale.
• Add the butter and turn off the heat.
• Spoon the salmon onto a serving plate and top with the scallion and cilantro.
• * Mirin is a Japanese condiment that's available in the ethnic-food sections of most supermarkets.

BRAISED SALMON

Steps:

• Combine and heat vegetable broth and fish stock in a large saucepan on medium high heat. Meanwhile season the fish with rosemary, dill, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Add the green onions, napa cabbage and carrots to the pot, and place the fish on top. Lower the heat to medium low, and cook for 20-25 minutes. Never serve fish that is undercooked, so make sure it is cooked completely before serving.
• Serve warm with rice or couscous.

GLAZED SALMON WITH BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Braised Fennel:
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the butter. Add the fennel and sugar and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the fennel caramelizes. Add the cider, stock and thyme. Cook until the fennel is tender and liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes Season the fennel with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the parsley and mix well. Remove from the heat and cover.
• Glaze:
• In a small saucepan, add the cider, cayenne and brown sugar and cook over medium heat until 1/2 cup of liquid remains. Set aside.
• Salmon:
• In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, to taste, and sear for 4 minutes in the hot oil. Remove from the pan and put, seared side up, on a quarter sheet tray with a rack. Spoon the glaze over the top of each fillet and bake until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and serve with the braised fennel alongside.

PAN SEARED SALMON WITH BRAISED LENTILS

Steps:

• Melt 1 T butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems and onion and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes, Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in 1-3/4 cup of the broth, lentils and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender, taste, transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
• Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels, and add the oil, and return to medium high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the fillets in the skillet, skinned side up, and cook until well browned on the first side, about 5 minutes. Flip the fillets and continue to cook until the sides are opaque, about 3 - 5 minutes longer. Transfer the fillets to a plate, tent loosley with foil, and let rest while finishing the lentils.
• In the skillet, add the lentils and remaining 1/4 cup broth and cook until hot, about 1 minute. Stir in the chard leaves and remaining 1 T butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the chard is wilted, 2 - 3 minues.
• To serve: lay the lentils on the plate and top with the salmon. Sprinkle with lemon wedges.

SALMON WITH BLACK OLIVE VINAIGRETTE AND BRAISED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients, except the artichokes, in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place the artichoke hearts a small baking dish and pour the mixture over them. Cover and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Serve with lots of bread to sop up juice.
• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place salmon in a small baking dish and pour 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette over. Marinate for 15 minutes. Preheat grill or grill pan over high heat. Remove salmon from marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, brush with the reserved vinaigrette every 2 minutes.

OLIVE-OIL-POACHED SALMON AND BRAISED ARTICHOKES WITH SAUVIGNON BLANC

Steps:

• Combine 1 quart cold water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a large bowl. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base and discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and pale yellow at base. Cut off leaves flush with top of base (keep stem attached) and cut a thin slice from end of stem to expose a fresh cross section. Trim dark green fibrous parts from stem and base of artichoke with a sharp paring knife, being careful not to break off stem. Halve artichoke lengthwise, then remove choke by pulling out purple leaves and scraping out fuzzy layer with a melon-ball cutter or spoon. Cut each half lengthwise into thirds, then drop into bowl of lemon water.
• Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, celery, and garlic, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Drain artichokes and pat dry. Stir artichokes into onion mixture with wine, thyme, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 cup chicken stock, and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Simmer, covered, stirring and turning artichokes occasionally, until tender, about 40 minutes.
• While artichokes braise, boil remaining 2 cups chicken stock in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, uncovered, over high heat until reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer 8 artichoke wedges with a slotted spoon to reduced stock and add vinegar and remaining tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, covered, until artichokes are very tender and falling apart, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender along with butter and purée until almost smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on and then discarding solids. Keep sauce warm, partially covered.
• While reduced stock mixture cooks, transfer remaining artichoke wedges to a bowl and clean and dry pot, then heat 2 to 3 inches olive oil in pot over moderately low heat until thermometer registers 150°F. Gently lower fish into oil with a slotted spatula. Return oil to 150°F, then poach fish until almost cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes (from time oil returns to 150°F). Carefully transfer fish with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
• Divide artichoke wedges among 4 plates with slotted spoon, discarding cooking liquid, then top with fish and drizzle sauce on top. Sprinkle with parsley.

MANGALORE SALMON BRAISED WITH COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• Make marinade:
• In an electric coffee/spice grinder finely grind fenugreek seeds and in a small bowl stir together with remaining marinade ingredients. In a shallow baking dish rub salmon fillets all over with marinade. Marinate fillets, covered, at cool room temperature 30 minutes.
• While salmon is marinating, cut bell pepper into thin strips, thinly slice onion, and finely chop garlic. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sear fillets until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer salmon to a plate. To skillet add onion, garlic, gingerroot, and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is lightly browned. Stir in coconut milk and salt and bring sauce to a boil, stirring. Add fillets and gently simmer until they are just cooked through and sauce is thickened, 5 to 6 minutes.
• In another skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté bell peppers, stirring, until crisp-tender and lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Serve salmon and sauce over rice, topped with bell peppers.

SALMON WITH BRAISED NAPA CABBAGE

Steps:

• In a large, deep skillet with a lid, cook bacon over medium until crisp, turning occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.
• Raise heat to medium-high. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Cook in skillet until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side (salmon will finish cooking in step 4). Transfer to a plate and reserve.
• Add as much cabbage to skillet as will fit; add vinegar. Cover skillet, and cook over medium-high, tossing occasionally. Add remaining cabbage as there is room, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in bacon, and place salmon on top. Cover skillet; cook until salmon is opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer cabbage and bacon onto four plates, placing salmon on top.

BRAISED SALMON WITH BASIL, ALMONDS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Season the fish with a few generous pinches of salt. Cover and refrigerated for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the fish from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400. In a food processor pulse the basil until it forms a coarse paste. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Place the salmon in a baking pan and coat the top with the basil mixture. Add enought water to the pan-about 1/2 cup to come halfway up the sides of the fish. Transfer the pan to the oven and braise the fish for about 10 min. for portioned fish or 15 to 20 for a whole side. To serve, using a slotted spatula, transfer the prtions to a warmed platter. Sprinkle the almonds over the top and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

SALMON BRAISED IN COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• In a large skillet big enough to hold the fish, combine the coconut milk, orange juice, orange zest, fish sauce, chile sauce, garlic, ginger, mint and cilantro and mix well.
• Add fish and make sure it is submerged. If it is not submerged, add equal amounts of coconut milk and orange juice.
• Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a very low simmer.
• Cover the pan and decrease heat to low. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
• If the fish does not flake when prodded with a fork, cover pan and simmer for 2 minutes more. (If fish is not submerged, turn fish over after 5 minutes of cooking.).
• Gently remove fish and place on dinner plates. Spoon sauce around sides and serve at once.

SALMON WITH RED WINE BRAISED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• 1. Peel and quarter the potatoes, boil them in lightly salted water until just soft, drain and set aside.
• 2. Dice shallot and mince garlic.
• 3. In a large skillet, heat half of the butter and gently fry the salmon fillets on both sides until slightly crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer from the skillet onto a plate, cover with aluminum foil and set aside.
• 4. Wipe the skillet as clean as possible, add the remaining butter and gently fry the diced shallot until translucent, then add minced garlic, continue frying until shallots start browning slightly.
• 5. Add halved cherry tomatoes, stir well, push to one side of the skillet and add the potatoes to the other side. Fry for another two or three minutes, add salt to taste to the tomatoes, then add brown sugar to the cherry tomatoes, continue frying until sugar has melted and the potatoes start browning slightly.
• 6. Pour the red wine over the tomatoes, stir and let the alcohol evaporate while the potatoes remain on the other side of the skillet. Some of the liquid will of course escape and touch the potatoes, but don't mind that. Just try to keep them separated and keep stirring the tomatoes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• 7. Add salmon back to the skillet, between potatoes and tomatoes, heat for one minute or so, then serve with a side of green salad.