I had some salmon, fresh rosemary, and a lemon. This recipe is the result. Not bad!

It was both refreshingly easy and refreshingly lemony.  The lightly seared salmon was juicy and flavorful, so I’ll definitely be using this method again.  This fish dish is especially irresistible with a warm helping of cheesy mashed potatoes with rosemary; feel free to spoon some of the sauce over them, as well.

For the salmon
2 skinless salmon fillets
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula, washed and air-dried

For the sauce
1 shallot, fine diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 white wine
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
a dash of lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Gentle rinse the fillets under running water, then pat dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, gently rub 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper, into salmon and set aside.

2. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once pan is hot, toss in about another Tbsp of olive oil so that pan is coated. Place each salmon fillet in the skillet, and cook for about two minutes. Then flip each piece and cook for a further two minutes. Move the skillet to the oven and cook for about six or seven minutes, or a bit longer if you are cooking a large fillet or steak.

3. Remove the salmon from the skillet and turn off the oven. Place fillets on a plate and cover with foil to retain warmth while you make the sauce. Pour of any excess oil, leaving just a bit, along with any flakes of roasted salmon, and put the skillet on high heat. Add chicken broth, wine, shallots, garlic, and rosemary. Stir constantly for about five minutes, as wine cooks off, then remove from heat and add butter. Whisk quickly until the sauce thickens slightly. Finally, add the lemon juice and zest, a dash of salt and pepper, and pour over the salmon.

4. Serve immediately on a bed of arugula.

Serves two.