Seared Salmon with Lemon-Pepper Roux

Salmon is Kirsten, my girlfriend's, go-to meal when we want to make something quick. She loves salmon and I love pepper, so it is a good combination. Seriously, it only takes a few minutes to cook, so even if you're cooking for a large crowd, it is a good choice. Kirsten pretty much always has salmon on hand, so when its her turn to cook, or when we don't have a lot of time, we make the salmon. Well, she cooks the salmon, and I make the sauce and the soup (we generally eat this with Asparagus soup).

For the Salmon:
Dry defrosted salmon fillets with a paper towel,
But freshly ground black pepper and coarse sea/kosher salt into the fish. Kirsten's grandma says you should have enough pepper so that you can't see the fish underneath.
Cook on medium heat in a skillet with generous helpings of butter. When the fish is cooked about halfway through, flip it over. You can tell when it is done because it will change from pinkish to more orange and bold.

If you're making a lot, place the cooked fillets on a baking sheet and warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Garnish with thin slices of lemon for a fancy touch.


For the Roux:
1/2 C butter
2 Tbls flour
3/4 C Milk
4 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or more if you like spicy
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a pan, then stir in flour to make a thick paste. Gradually stir in the milk and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from hear and stir in lemon juice, salt, and peppers.

If the roux seems to tart for your taste, melt in some more butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the roux on the side or directly on the salmon. The roux also tastes great in the asparagus soup or over rice.

Asparagus Soup with swirls of Lemon-Pepper Roux