Two thick salmon fillets go from raw to dinner in the time it takes to heat a pan and rest a vegetable. Wild sockeye is already brined and mineralized by the sea, so it needs nothing but salt, heat, and maybe a squeeze of lemon to shine.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 2140 calories a serving, 203 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 140 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Place a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat for 2 minutes. While it heats, pat 2 salmon fillets dry with a paper towel, skin side down, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon oil, a small grind of pepper, and a pinch of salt on the flesh side.2 min
2. When the pan is smoking lightly, place the salmon skin side down in the pan and do not move it. Listen for the sound to change from a hiss to a gentle crackle.
3. After 5 minutes, tilt the pan and spoon the collected oil over the top of the salmon. Check if the skin peels away from the pan edge with a thin metal spatula; when it does, the skin is crisp.5 min
4. Press gently on the thickest part with your finger: it should feel barely soft, not mushy. If the flesh is still very soft, cook for 1 more minute, then transfer the fillets to two plates, skin side up.1 min
5. Cut a lemon into halves and squeeze one half over each fillet while the salmon is still warm. Grind a little fresh pepper over top if you like.

Note Swap butter for oil if you want richness; add it in the last minute. Leftovers keep three days in the fridge and shred easily into grain bowls or salads. Serve with roasted vegetables, rice, or crusty bread to catch the skin-browned pan juices.