Seared Salmon with Caper-Anchovy Butter
It's never too late to celebrate your Mom!
Dear Readers,
Happy belated Mother’s Day! This Mother’s Day looks a little different for me because both of my moms (yes, I have two) decided to take a two-week trip to Italy, followed by a week in London. All I have to say is, it must be nice and they deserve it! That means we’ll be extending the Mother’s Day celebration far past May 14th this year. If you, like me, missed out on your typical Mother’s Day celebration, perhaps my easy seared salmon with anchovy-compound butter is something you might like to whip up for your mom the next time you see her.
I love this salmon recipe very much because it makes a great, reliable weeknight meal that comes together quickly, but also feels special enough for an occasion when paired with other dishes on the table. My version of the recipe is largely inspired by Melissa Clarke’s Salmon with Anchovy Garlic Butter, but mine calls for fish sauce, soy sauce, or tamari mixed into the compound butter for extra richness and umami. Melissa Clarke’s version also requires you to turn on the oven to finish roasting the fish, but I’ve found that it can be done entirely in a pan and on the stovetop.
If I’m being honest, I’m mainly head over heels for this dish because of the anchovy butter. Anchovy butter adds a richness that no other ingredient can really replicate. I have found myself eating it plain smeared on a fresh baguette on multiple occasions, and it makes a great addition to roasted vegetables.
To make the compound butter, you’ll need some good quality anchovies that have a meaty backbone and depth of flavor. Ortiz is and will forever be my favorite brand of anchovy, because the filets are silky and melt into whatever you’re cooking with ease. They also sell their anchovies in a resealable jar, so you can easily use a single filet and keep the rest in the jar in the fridge for later use. I also enjoy Fishwife, Rizzoli, or Agnostino Recca anchovies too, but I’m sure whatever you have on hand will also do the trick!
I’ve written out this recipe in its simplest form, but there are many iterations of the anchovy-compound butter out there. In the past, I’ve added chives, scallions and other herbs to give the butter a deep green color and the fish an oniony bite. I have also used a bit of tomato paste and paprika for a little smokiness and brightness. Sesame oil, miso, seaweed or chili would all make welcome additions to the compound butter, but keep in mind that it is all about swapping similar ingredients for one another so as to not make the dish too salty, too savory, too acidic, or too rich overall. If you remember from my last newsletter, I recently made some ramp butter after going upstate and I am slowly working through it as we speak. It would be quite lovely here as well.
Feel free to play around with different versions and tell me what you create. It’s hard to go wrong, and at the end of the day, don’t take yourself too seriously - you’re just playing with flavored butter!
Seared Salmon with Anchovy Butter
Ingredients:
2 skin-on salmon filets
4 anchovy filets
3 tbsp salted butter, softened
2 tsp soy sauce, tamari or fish sauce
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Herbs for garnishing
Instructions:
In a small bowl, combine the anchovies, softened butter, capers soy sauce (tamari or fish sauce if using) and grated garlic. Using a small fork, mash the ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium non-stick skillet, heat half of the anchovy butter over medium heat until melted. Pat the salmon filets dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Once the butter is melted and hot, add the salmon filets skin side down for 3 to 4 minutes, spooning the melted butter over the fish as it cooks. Flip the filets and top with lemon juice. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the fish is just cooked through. If the pan looks dry, add a drizzle of olive oil as you’re cooking. Garnish with your favorite herbs - I typically use parsley or chives for this version.
I hope all you moms out there found yourself with your feet up over the weekend sipping on some coffee while the rest of your family made you breakfast in bed. You deserve it!
Look at baby me, quite the handful! A big ole bundle of joy, always…
Much love,
Kristen