Salmon in a cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• • Four 6-ounce salmon fillets, with skin

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or grapeseed oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation

• • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add the oil and heat until it begins to shimmer.

  • Just before adding the fish to the pan, pat the skin side of the fillets dry with paper towels and season all over with salt. Lay the fish in the pan, skin side down, and immediately turn the heat down to low (this will give you more time to crisp up the skin). Using a spatula, press down on the fillets for 10 to 15 seconds at a time to ensure as much skin-to-pan contact as possible.

  • After a few minutes, gently nudge the salmon fillets: If they slide around the pan easily, you can start lifting them up with a spatula to peek at the skin below. They’re ready to flip once the skin is golden brown and the flesh is opaque almost all the way through, about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish.

  • Flip the salmon and cook the flesh side for 30 to 60 seconds or until the fish is opaque through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the flesh will read 120°F to 125°F for medium rare to medium).

  • Transfer the salmon, skin-side up, to serving plates. Serve with lemon wedges.

The Field Company