Pan-Seared Salmon with Braised Lentils (Saumon avec Lentilles du Puy)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on June 23, 2009
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You can use either skin-on or skinless salmon here; some tasters loved the crisp, cooked salmon skin. Puy lentils, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils can be substituted; note that cooking times may vary depending on the type of lentils used. Lentils lose flavor with age, and because most packaged lentils do not have expiration dates, try to buy them from a store that specializes in natural foods and grains.
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chard stems, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to cook, stirring often, until most of the excess liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste; cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place the fillets in the skillet, flesh side down, and cook without moving until well browned, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip the fish and continue to cook until the fish is opaque and just firm, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer the fish to a clean plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While the salmon rests, return the saucepan of lentils to medium-high heat and cook until hot, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the chard is wilted and incorporated, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Spoon a small pile of lentils in the center of 4 individual serving plates and rest a piece of salmon on top. Serve immediately.
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We began building flavor in our salmon and lentils recipe by sautéing onion, garlic, and thyme in some butter, then adding the lentils and chicken broth (which lent the dish fuller flavor than water), and simmering until the lentils were just tender. While the lentils cooked, we seared the fillets in a hot nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with only a tablespoon of oil. We liked the salmon in our salmon and lentils recipe cooked to the point of just turning firm and opaque. This way, the flesh remained moist and flavorful.
Before You Begin
You can use either skin-on or skinless salmon here; some tasters loved the crisp, cooked salmon skin. Puy lentils, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils can be substituted; note that cooking times may vary depending on the type of lentils used. Lentils lose flavor with age, and because most packaged lentils do not have expiration dates, try to buy them from a store that specializes in natural foods and grains.
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, chard stems, garlic, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to cook, stirring often, until most of the excess liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste; cover to keep warm and set aside.
- Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place the fillets in the skillet, flesh side down, and cook without moving until well browned, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip the fish and continue to cook until the fish is opaque and just firm, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer the fish to a clean plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While the salmon rests, return the saucepan of lentils to medium-high heat and cook until hot, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, stirring constantly, until the chard is wilted and incorporated, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Spoon a small pile of lentils in the center of 4 individual serving plates and rest a piece of salmon on top. Serve immediately.
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