Salmon with Anchovy-Garlic Butter

from The New York Times

submitted by Anne Halsted

preparation time: 25 minutes

serves 4

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 anchovy fillets, minced (or anchovy paste)

1 fat garlic clove, minced (or 2 smaller cloves)

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Four 6-to 8-ounce, skin-on salmon fillets

2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry

½ lemon

Fresh chopped parsley, for serving

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, mash together butter, anchovies, garlic, salt and pepper.

In a large ovenproof skillet, melt about half of the anchovy butter mix. Add fish, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes over high heat to brown the skin, spooning some of the pan drippings over the top of the fish as it cooks. Add capers to bottom of pan and transfer to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and add remaining anchovy butter to pan to melt. Place salmon on plates and spoon buttery pan sauce over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.

This was hands-down a winner! I think using anchovy paste was a better 'marriage' with the somewhat delicate salmon, and it offered a very smooth sauce when mixed with the butter.