Pan Seared Salmon with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

The mighty salmon is the holy grail of protein and there is nothing worse than a dry piece of fish. All you need is one simple technique and you’ll have a beautifully cooked salmon fillet each and every time. You need a non-stick pan, high heat, and a careful eye for a restaurant-worthy salmon. Start with the skin-side up and flip when a golden crust forms. Cook on the opposite side until the skin crisps and the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Et voilá – perfectly cooked salmon. We’re pairing it with simple steamed asparagus and an herby cherry tomato salad.

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced into thirds
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the salmon skin-side up, lemon slices, and garlic cloves. Generously season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cook, occasionally pressing down the salmon with a spatula to ensure a crust forms, until the salmon releases from the pan with no resistance, around 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes, just until the skin crisps and the salmon starts to flake easily.
3. In the meantime, steam the asparagus until tender, around 6-8 minutes. Generously season with salt and pepper.
4. In a medium bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and toss everything together.
5. Serve the crispy salmon alongside the steamed asparagus and cherry tomato salad. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories: 413
Fat: 19.8g
Protein: 49.3g
Carbs: 10.7g