Pan-seared salmon fillet, light béarnaise sauce

Salmon with béarnaise is a timeless classic that deserves its reputation. Unlike traditional béarnaise, our version uses a base of whipped heavy cream and clarified butter to stay keto. The secret lies in letting the salmon rest before cooking: this allows for even cooking and tender flesh. This recipe takes 20 minutes and will quickly become your Sunday night essential.

Ingredients

2 salmon fillets (150g each, skin removed if possible)

40g clarified butter (or ghee)

2 grey shallots, finely chopped

2 tablespoons white vinegar

100ml heavy cream

20g cold butter, cubed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon fresh tarragon (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon

Instructions

1. Preparation (10–15 min): Take the salmon fillets out of the refrigerator 15–20 minutes before cooking so they reach near room temperature. Pat them dry with paper towels; lightly salt and pepper both sides 5 minutes before cooking.
2. Start the béarnaise (in parallel, 8–10 min): Finely chop the shallots. Put the shallots and white vinegar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until reduced; about 1 tablespoon of liquid should remain (about 3–4 min). Remove from heat and let cool for 1–2 min.
3. Whip the sauce base (3–5 min): In a cold bowl, whisk the heavy cream just until it thickens slightly (do not whip into stiff peaks). Stir in the shallot-vinegar mixture then, whisking continuously, add the cold butter cubes in 3–4 additions to emulsify. Taste and adjust salt/pepper; add mustard and chopped tarragon, then a squeeze of lemon juice (10–15 ml). Keep warm but do not let boil (reheat in a double boiler if necessary).
4. Heat the pan and fat (1–2 min): Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the clarified butter (or ghee) and let heat until hot but not smoking (about 1 min).
5. Cooking the salmon (7–8 min): Place the fillets skin-side down and cook without moving for 4 minutes to get crispy skin. Gently flip with a spatula and cook for 2–4 minutes depending on thickness (4 min for 2–2.5 cm thickness): the salmon should be just set on the outside and still slightly translucent in the center. (Target temperature: 60–63 °C for a medium-rare texture).
6. Rest and finish (2–3 min): Remove the fillets, place on a warm plate and let rest for 2 minutes. If the sauce was prepared earlier, gently reheat it in a double boiler while stirring; do not let it boil or it will separate.
7. Plating: Top each fillet with a generous spoonful of warm béarnaise. Add a turn of the pepper mill, a pinch of chopped tarragon and a dash of lemon juice. Serve immediately (recommended side: baby greens or cauliflower mash).

Variants

• Simple Béarnaise: without whipped cream, emulsify only with cold butter for a more traditional sauce (add 50 calories).
• Asian Variation: replace tarragon with fresh cilantro and add 1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger.
• Salt-crusted Salmon: coat the salmon in sea salt and fresh herbs before baking at 200°C for 10 minutes.

Tips

• Never press down on the salmon while cooking with the spatula. This expels the juices and dries out the flesh.
• Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, allowing for cooking at a higher temperature without burning.
• If you don't have clarified butter, use olive oil or ghee. Avoid sunflower oil which has too neutral a taste.
• The key to a light béarnaise is to whisk the cream just enough: it should remain smooth and airy, not become butter.
• Letting the cooked salmon rest allows the fibers to relax and keeps the flesh tender. It's 2 minutes well spent.

FAQ