Frank Proto, a professional chef and culinary instructor, demonstrates how to prepare the best pan-seared salmon. He emphasizes the importance of selecting the right salmon, checking for freshness, and ensuring the skin and flesh are dry before cooking.
The salmon is cooked on a medium-high heat in a pan with enough oil to coat the bottom. The fillets are seasoned with black pepper and salt, and the skin is dried with a paper towel to prevent sticking. The salmon is then cooked on the skin side until it's crispy, and then flipped to cook on the flesh side. The salmon is left to cook until it's cooked through, and then rested on a rack to prevent the skin from getting soggy.
Finally, the salmon is plated with a side of salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. The salmon is described as having a crispy skin and a juicy interior.
1. Frank Proto is a professional chef and culinary instructor who is about to demonstrate how to make the best pan-seared salmon.
2. The goal is to achieve a salmon with crispy skin and a soft, juicy interior.
3. Before cooking, it's important to select the salmon carefully. Farm-raised salmon is preferred due to its higher fat content, which helps prevent it from drying out.
4. The salmon should be visually inspected for appealing color and a light, ocean breeze smell.
5. The salmon should be touched and found to be smooth and not sticky, indicating no slime on it.
6. If any of these factors don't work for you, don't buy the salmon and find another store.
7. The salmon is cooked on a medium-high heat with enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
8. The fillets are seasoned with a bit of black pepper and salt.
9. The skin and salmon must be dry before being put in the pan.
10. The salmon is cooked on the skin side first, then flipped to cook on the flesh side.
11. The salmon is left alone to cook, trusting the process.
12. The salmon is turned when it's ready, indicated by the skin starting to get crispy and the salmon freeing itself.
13. After the salmon is cooked, it is rested on a rack to allow the temperature to equalize.
14. The salmon is plated with a little bit of salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
15. The inside of the salmon is still pink and juicy, indicating it's not raw.
16. The salmon is perfectly moist, has a great season, and a great flavor.
17. The final result is a perfectly cooked pan-seared salmon with crispy skin and a juicy interior.