Dan Cincis, Executive Chef at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif., shared this recipe with the Los Angeles Daily News, and asks only that you use the highest quality salmon and heat the grill “screaming hot.”
Grilled Salmon with Lemon Caper Butter Sauce
Serves 2
Amt. Ingredient
2 wild-caught salmon filets — 6-ounce portions, skin on
For the sauce:
Amt. Ingredient
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 tbsp. capers
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1 tbsp. Italian parsley (stems removed and finely minced)
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Procedure:
- Preheat grill to 500 degrees. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- With a sharp knife, remove all gray matter from the middle of the skin side of the salmon. (This is the bloodline that has a fishy taste and an unpleasant look when cooked.) Season fish with salt and pepper.
- Spray flesh side, or “presentation side” of the salmon, with nonstick pan spray and place on grill for about 1 minute. Turn 90 degrees and cook for another minute and remove from grill. This should give you nice grill marks on the presentation side of your fish.
- Place the fish, grill marks up, on a sheet pan greased with pan spray in the oven for approximately 8 minutes for a medium temperature fish. (Using the highest quality salmon ensures you don’t have it cook it until well done.)
For the sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a stainless steel pan over medium heat, and gently sweat the shallots. Do not caramelize. Add the garlic and sweat for a few more minutes until you can smell garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat slightly and add the lemon juice and zest. Bring to a rapid bubble.
- Add the wine and reduce until most of the liquid is gone. Mix in capers. Turn the heat off. Drop in the butter pieces and swirl the pan until fully incorporated. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula if necessary. Mix in parsley. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Note: Make sure when you plate your food, you put the sauce on the plate under the fish. You don’t want to cover up those nice grill marks.
From Dan Cincis, Executive Chef, El Caballero Country Club
