Brown Butter Citrus Honey Garlic Salmon

Citrus Marinade

Step 1

Zest both the oranges and lemon, carefully leaving out the white pith, which is bitter. Extract juice from the oranges and the lemon.

Step 2

Mix the zest and juice with crushed garlic, oregano, chili flakes, honey, salt and pepper.

Salmon, See Note, below

Step 3

Clean the salmon fillets and place in marinate for 10 - 30 minutes, but no more as the lemon can cook the fish.

Step 4

Heat butter in a pan on low flame until it melts and foams. As soon as it turns into a brownish-golden color and gives a nutty aroma, increase the flame to medium heat. However, be careful not to burn the butter, you want it to exude that nuttiness in the butter.

Step 5

Shake off the excess marinade from the salmon fillets and place them skin-side down. DO NOT throw out the marinate, as it will be used later. Cook the salmon for approximately 4 to 5 minutes (more or less, depending on thickness of fish) until browned, frequently basting with butter.

Step 6

Flip and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 7

If the fillet is too thick, cook each side for additional 1 to 2 minutes. If the skin starts sticking to the pan, add a little more butter.

Step 8

Remove the salmon fillets onto a serving platter. Pour the marinade with 2 tablespoons of water into the same pan. Deglaze the pan by stirring, so the flavorful cooked bits stuck to the bottom of the pan would be incorporated in the sauce. The sauce becomes a darker brown in color. Simmer until it reduces to a thick, sticky sauce.

Step 9

Drizzle the citrus butter sauce over the seared salmon, or serve it in a small bowl alongside the salmon.

Note: Fry the salmon fillets on a non-stick pan to avoid them from sticking to the bottom. If using a regular metal pan, use an additional tablespoon of butter.

Step 10

Cook the salmon on medium flame to get salmon fillets that are perfectly browned and flaky on the outside and juicy inside.*