Home » Categories » Fish

Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon with Minty Pea Purée

ByGéraldine Leverd
6 Comments
5 of 3 votes

Click the stars to rate!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Jump to Recipe Leave a comment 💛

This crispy pan-seared salmon with my minty pea purée really has everything I like: healthy proteins, lots of vegetables, a great color and it’s ready in less than 20 minutes. For me, it’s the perfect recipe when you need something quick in the evening, but also when you have guests over and want to put something impressive on the table without spending hours in the kitchen.

A plate with a crispy salmon steak, pea puree, mixed greens, peas and pickled onions. Next to it are a fork, a knife, a napkin and bowls of peas and salad.

In This Article

This recipe is actually just a combination of my pea puree, which I love to serve with fish like this, and a perfectly crispy pan-fried salmon steak. I have written a separate article on my blog for both parts to give you all the tips. For decoration, I simply used blanched peas and my pickled red onions.

👉Recipe card

Crispy Pan-Seared Salmon with Minty Pea Purée

Click on the stars to rate!

5 of 3 votes
This dish is the perfect blend of French bistro cuisine and modern freshness. It's quick, healthy, and looks super elegant!
Ein Teller mit einem knusprigen Lachssteak, mit knuspriger Haut, serviert mit grünen Erbsen und sautiertem Gemüse. Im Hintergrund steht ein Schälchen Erbsenpüree.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main course
Cuisine French
Servings 4
Calories 445 kcal
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Side dish: pea puree

  • 1 ,5 lb frozen peas
  • 1 shallot finely chopped
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 10 leaves fresh mint
  • 1 bunch of chives
  • 1 tbsp cream cheese or sour cream
  • 1 lemon juiced

For the salmon fillets

  • 4 salmon fillets with skin
  • 1 drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

For serving

  • 2 handful of mixed salad greens
  • 4 tsp pickled red onions
  • A few fresh mint leaves

Instructions
 

Prepare the pea puree

  • Sauté the chopped shallots in a little olive oil in a saucepan.
    Ein Holzlöffel rührt sautierte Zwiebeln in einem großen, cremefarbenen Topf - perfekt für ein schnelles Erbsenpüree-Rezept. Daneben stehen grüne Erbsen, frische Kräuter und ein kleiner Teller mit einem Stück Käse.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, and add the peas. Once the broth is boiling again, cook the peas for exactly 3 minutes.
    Ein Topf mit grünen Erbsen in Brühe, dazu Kräuter und Frischkäse - perfekt für ein schnelles Erbsenpüree-Rezept.
  • Drain the peas, reserving about 3 tbsp (≈50 ml) of the broth . Take two tablespoons of whole peas and briefly plunge them into ice-cold water (for garnish).
    Eine Glasschale mit grünen Erbsen, Zuckerschoten und Eiswürfeln steht auf einer Marmorplatte neben der Spüle - perfekt für einen erfrischenden Erbsen-Salat.
  • Blend the remaining peas with the mint, chives, cream cheese, and lemon juice until smooth. Use the reserved cooking liquid to adjust the consistency. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
    Ein Mixerbehälter mit grünen Erbsen, gehackten Kräutern, einer Kugel cremiger weißer Zutaten und Gewürzen, bereit zum Mixen.

Prepare the salmon

  • Pat the salmon very dry with paper towels. Generously season with salt on both sides.
    Eine Hand benutzt ein Papiertuch, um die Lachsfilets mit der Haut auf einem Holzbrett trocken zu tupfen.
  • Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, place the salmon in the pan skin-side down.
    Zwei rohe Lachsfilets liegen in einer schwarzen gusseisernen Pfanne auf dem Elektroherd und sind bereit zum Garen.
  • Gently press the fish with a spatula for about 30 seconds to ensure the skin makes full contact with the pan. Cook the salmon skin-side down for 4–5 minutes without moving it, until about two-thirds of the flesh is opaque (light pink).
  • Flip the fish and cook the flesh side for just 1–2 minutes until done.
    Zwei Lachsfilets mit knuspriger Haut braten in einer schwarzen gusseisernen Pfanne auf einem Elektroherd.

Plate the dish

  • Spoon a generous amount of the warm peapuree onto the center of each plate. Place the salmon on top, skin-side up. Garnish with the salad, the reserved peas, mint, and the pickled red onions.
    Ein Teller mit einem knusprigen Lachssteak, Erbsenpüree, gemischtem Grünzeug, Erbsen und eingelegten Zwiebeln. Daneben liegen eine Gabel, ein Messer, eine Serviette und Schüsseln mit Erbsen und Salat.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 581mg | Potassium: 1434mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 656IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @la.cuisine.de.geraldine on Instagram and let me know how it was!

My 3 Tips For The Perfect Salmon

To ensure that the salmon is seared to perfection, I have written a separate article on pan-frrying salmon. I’ll explain everything in detail there. But here are my three most important rules to ensure that the skin is really crispy in the pan:

  • Pat dry & salt: Be sure to pat the salmon dry before searing it and salt it on both sides before it goes into the pan.
  • Skin side first: This protects the tender flesh from the heat and ensures that it remains juicy. Plus it makes the skin crispy and nicer to eat!
  • The 80/20 rule: I cook the fish on the skin side for about 80% of the time. Only when it has turned light pink in the middle do I turn it briefly. This ensures that the core is still slightly pink and remains juicy, rather than being overcooked or dry.
One hand uses a paper towel to pat the salmon fillets dry with the skin on a wooden board.
Two raw salmon fillets lie in a black cast-iron pan on the electric hob, ready to be cooked.
Two salmon fillets fry in a black cast-iron pan on the stove, like an automatically saved draft of a perfect dinner.

My Tips For The Green Pea Puree

This minty pea purée is one of my favorite side dishes for salmon: it brings both a natural sweetness and a bright, fresh acidity that pairs wonderfully with the salty, rich flavor of the fish while staying light.

Plus, it’s quick to prepare. Simply cook the peas for a few minutes, then blend them immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh herbs.

I don’t plunge the peas into ice water for the purée so I can serve it hot right away. However, if you are making it in advance, it’s better to stop the cooking with ice water to lock in the color. You can find all my tips on cooking peas here.

A bowl of green frozen peas, sliced shallots, half a lemon, chives, mint leaves, stock in a measuring jug and a dollop of cream cheese - perfect for a quick pea puree recipe - are artfully arranged on a white surface.
A bowl of green pea puree hummus on a light-colored base, lemon wedges, fresh mint and a small plate of green peas - a quick recipe for a refreshing pea puree recipe.

More delicious recipes with salmon or peas

If you like this combination, why not try these favorites from my blog?

5 from 3 votes

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe!




6 Comments