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    Home » Seafood » Brown Butter Salmon With Capers And Sundried Tomatoes

    Brown Butter Salmon With Capers And Sundried Tomatoes

    Last updated February 3, 2023. Originally posted August 13, 2021 By Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves. 17 Comments.

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    Brown butter salmon with capers and sundried tomatoes is a dish more sophisticated than the usual seared salmon — but no harder to prepare. This delicious weeknight salmon gets an elegant upgrade with simple ingredients and can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

    Brown butter salmon with capers and sundried tomatoes in a yellow pan with a cloth napkin on a white table.

    This brown butter salmon with capers and sundried tomatoes is what we call in our family "Ray's salmon". Every summer we join the family in western New York for a long weekend. One of the traditions of this weekend is enjoying perfectly cooked salmon served with a delicious brown butter sauce. Ray, my brother in law either grills or smokes fresh wild salmon fillets and serves them with this fantastic brown butter sauce with sundried tomatoes, capers, and pine nuts. To give you an idea of how delicious this dish is both children and adults are big fans and demand it every year without fail.

    Browning the butter adds a nutty richness to the salmon and tastes delicious. The capers and sundried tomatoes add a sweet yet tart more complex flavor and a Mediterranean feel to the dish.

    I asked Ray's permission to develop a recipe based on his signature dish and he graciously approved (actually he said he has no idea what the correct measurements are, he just adds them in the pan and the sauce appears. 🙂

    Here is what you need

    A baking pan with fresh salmon fillets, a pepper mill, a bowl with sundried tomatoes, a bowl with pine nuts, a bowl with capers a bowl with olive oil and a bowl with salt and a stick of butter.

    How to make this salmon

    This brown butter salmon is very quick to make. It will take less than 30 minutes to sear 4 fillets and make the sauce. It can be a weeknight dinner but can effortlessly hold its own as an elevated when served at a dinner party.

    Two pieces of salmon cooking.
    Pat the salmon dry on both sides. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat some olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
    Add two salmon fillets to the pan at a time.
    (skin side down first if you like crispy skin. Please see recipe notes)
    Cook each side for 4 minutes until golden and flaky.
    Pine nuts in a pan.
    Chop the sundried tomatoes into medium-small pieces.
    Place a medium skillet on medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Toast pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until they are nice and brown. Please don't overdo it; they will become bitter and inedible.
    Melted butter in a pan and a red spatula.
    Add the butter to the pan. Stir the butter with a spatula continuously. After 2 to 3 minutes, the butter will start to brown. Be careful not to burn it 🙂
    Brown butter sauce with capers and sundried tomatoes in a pan.
    Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add the capers, stir brown butter sauce and remove from heat. Serve immediately over salmon fillets.
    Brown butter salmon with capers and sundried tomatoes in a yellow pan with utencils.

    What to serve with this salmon

    Pair this brown butter salmon with a green salad, roasted vegetables, araka (sweet peas with dill). Add some crusty bread to complete your meal and enjoy the sauce.

    Check out my Greek pantry staples 

    Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

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    Brown butter salmon with capers and sundried tomatoes in a yellow pan with a cloth napkin on a white table.

    Brown Butter Salmon With Capers And Sundried Tomatoes

    by Jenny | The Greek Foodie
    This weeknight salmon gets an elegant upgrade with simple ingredients and can be ready in less than 30 minutes.
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine International
    Servings 4
    Calories 515 kcal

    Equipment

    • large skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 salmon fillets with skin or not, whatever you like.
    • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
    • 2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes
    • 1 stick salted butter
    • 1 tablespoon capers
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • sea salt
    • freshly ground pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Pat the salmon dry on both sides. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
    • Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
    • Add two salmon fillets to the pan (skin side down first if you like crispy skin. Please see recipe notes)
      Cook each side for 4 minutes until golden and flaky.

    While salmon cooks make the sauce.

    • Chop the sundried tomatoes into medium-small pieces.
    • Place a medium skillet on medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Toast pine nuts for 2-3 minutes until they are nice and brown. Don't overdo it, pine nuts will become bitter and inedible.
    • Add the butter to the pan. Stir the butter with a spatula continuously. After 2 to 3 minutes, the butter will start to brown. Be careful not to burn the butter. If needed lower the heat.
    • Add the chopped sundried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add the capers, stir brown butter sauce and serve immediately over salmon fillets.

    Notes

    For perfectly crisp skin:
    If you like perfectly crisp skin on your salmon, don't fidget with the fish while it cooks; Press it down lightly for one minute with a spatula. The skin will start to crisp up nicely if you wait the whole 7 minutes and then turn it around—Cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Then, turn salmon one more time and crisp up the skin for one more minute. Plate salmon skin side up to preserve the crispy skin and serve sauce around salmon, not on the skin.
     
    Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only an estimate and can vary based on the products used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 515kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 35gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 338mgPotassium: 956mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thegreekfoodie__ or tag #thegreekfoodie__
    Brown Butter Salmon With Capers And Sundried Tomatoes
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    Hi there!

    I am Jenny, a Greek expat living in the greater New York City area. I like to say I am a beauty art director turned foodie, aka the Greek foodie. Born and raised in Greece, my fondness for good food goes hand in hand with my heritage. My absolute favorite thing to do is cook delicious food to enjoy with family and friends.... Find out more about me here…

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