Pan Seared Honey Glazed Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce

The Prince Rupert Environmental Society is making a Salmon vs Super Tankers cookbook. It’s going to be filled with delicious seafood recipes, primarily salmon, touching excerpts from local speakers at the National Energy Board’s Joint Review Panel and gorgeous food and coastal life photography. The proceeds will be going to the society to help keep tankers out of our pristine waters.

A few friends gathered at my house the other day with the professional photographer working on the project for a seafood feast. We made a number of recipes to be put in the cookbook so the photographer could capture the process and end products. It was a lot of fun and we were all left with full, happy bellies.

Shannon made a herb marinated salmon belly salad and sautéed halibut cheek recipe. Erin made salmon fingers and I made Quinoa and Black Bean Salad, salmon fajitas (recipe soon!) and the wonderful recipe shared below.

Pan Seared Honey Glazed Salmon with Browned Butter Lime Sauce

• 4 (6 oz) Salmon Fillets, rested at room temperature 20 minutes
• 8 tsp Flour
• 2 tbsp Honey
• zest of 1 – 2 Limes (optional)
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Browned Butter Lime Sauce, recipe follows

1. Remove the skin from the salmon fillets if you haven’t already.
2. It’s best to cook this salmon in either two batches or in two cast iron pans at once. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan.
3. Heat your cast iron pan over medium heat until hot. Drizzle the pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil and swirl to coat evenly.
4. Sprinkle a tsp of flour on one side of the salmon and use your fingers to evenly coat it. Place the salmon flour side down in the hot oiled pan and coat the top with another tsp of flour. Drizzle the top with about 3/4 tsp of honey. Cook for about 3-5 minutes and flip over. Drizzle a bit more honey on the first side and cook for another 3-5 minutes or almost cooked. Flip one more time for about a minute and then plate the salmon. Remember, it’s better to slightly undercook fish than to overcook it.
5. Serve immediately with browned butter lime sauce drizzled over top and sprinkled with lime zest.

Browned Butter Lime Sauce

• 6 tbsp Salted Butter, cubed
• 3 tbsp fresh Lime Juice
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

1. Melt butter in a small and preferably light coloured saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the saucepan occasionally on the stove element instead of stirring. The butter will begin to foam and crackle. That’s a great sign. That means that the water is evaporating from the butter. Once the crackling subsides, keep an eye on the butter. The butter solids will begin to brown. As it browns, it will smell very nutty. Once well browned, immediately remove the butter from the heat and place in a small bowl. Removing the butter from the pan will ensure that it doesn’t continue to cook and burn in the hot pan.
2. Stir in the lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside and gently stir or whisk before drizzling it over the salmon.