Slow Poached Citrus Salmon

The other night, we had friends over for dinner and I needed something low-effort, high-impact, and easy to build a meal around. Enter: salmon + olive oil + whatever’s hanging out in the fridge or garden. This is the kind of main that looks and tastes like you planned something elaborate, but really, it’s just a big skillet of fish slowly poaching in hot oil with a bunch of aromatics. Think: marinated olives but dinner.

This is a non-recipe recipe. You can do it on the grill, on the stove, or in the oven or whatever heat source you’ve got. The method is flexible, forgiving, and endlessly riffable based on what you have on hand.

The key is this:
Get your skillet hot, add the salmon skin-side down, then pour in a ridiculous amount of olive oil and let it do its thing.

Serve it straight from the skillet with crusty bread, a simple salad, and something chilled to drink.

Make it your own

The main reason we love this “recipe” is that you can really riff on it based on your flavor preferences and what you have on hand.

Smoky – Rub the salmon with paprika and cumin before cooking. Add a dried chili or two to the oil, and serve with a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro.

Za’atar – Stir a spoonful of za’atar into the oil after the salmon is in, and scatter thin slices of preserved lemon around the pan. Serve with labneh or yogurt on the side.

Fennel –  Use orange slices and fennel seeds (or even shaved fennel bulb if you have it). Finish with a little flaky salt and fennel fronds for extra elegance.

Chili Crisp – Swap olive oil for a neutral oil with a higher smoke point, add a spoonful of chili crisp, and scatter sliced scallions and sesame seeds at the end.