Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce

prep time: 5 mins.
cook time: 20 mins.
serves 2

When the weather starts to turn and all you seem to crave is rich comfort food, this salmon with dill cream sauce sauce provides a bright and luxurious twist.

This recipe demands simplicity, keeping the sauce minimal and clean will enhance the natural flavor of plainly steamed salmon. I prefer a milder, less fatty salmon such as coho or sockeye for this dish because it won't overpower the sauce.

You can easily adapt this dish sauce using different herbs such as parsley or tarragon, or adding more aromatics like shallots and celery. I find the real trick though is to keep the temperature low and patiently steam the salmon in the delicious broth.

Serve with some simple sautéed green beans and don't forget some crusty bread or roasted sweet potatoes to dip in the leftover sauce.

salmon with dill cream sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoon butter
3 cloves of garlic, (finely minced or grated)
½ of a lemon, (juiced, plus more wedges for serving)
¼ cup chardonnay, (or other dry white wine)
½ cup fresh dill, (minced, more for topping)
½ cup heavy cream
1 lb salmon, (cut into fillets)
½ teaspoon juniper berries, (crushed finely in a mortar and pestle, optional)
salt and pepper, (to taste)
sautéed green beans, (to serve)

Instructions

Heat a large frying pan or sauté pan (with lid) to medium-low heat. Add the butter and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, add the lemon juice, chardonnay, and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the mixture is reduced to slightly syrupy consistency. Then, mix in the heavy cream and dill.
Once the dill cream sauce is made, put your salmon fillets into the pan. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over them, cover and steam the salmon until just cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. If the pan starts to dry out, you can splash in a bit more wine.
To serve, plate the salmon and drizzle the cream sauce over it. Add a sprinkle of the crushed juniper berries, reserved dill, and some more salt if needed.