Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Caper Butter
Ingredients
- 4 fillets (6 oz each)salmon fillets (skin-on)
- 1 poundasparagus
- 3 tablespoonbutter
- 2lemon
- 3 tablespooncapers (drained)
- 2 clovesgarlic
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- 2 tablespoonolive oil
Prep
- 01
Trim the woody ends from 1 pound asparagus.
- 02
Mince 2 garlic cloves.
- 03
Zest 1 lemon and cut both lemons in half for juicing.
Method
- 01
Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- 02
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet. Place salmon skin-side up and cook for 3 minutes until the skin crisps. Transfer to a plate.
- 03
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Toss in asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 04
Return salmon to the skillet, skin-side up, nestled among the asparagus. Transfer to a 400°F oven and bake for 6–8 minutes until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily.
- 05
While the oven finishes, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in minced garlic and capers and warm for 1 minute. Zest 1 lemon into the pan and squeeze in the juice of both lemons. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- 06
Transfer salmon and asparagus to plates. Drizzle the lemon-caper butter over everything and serve immediately.
Spice Tips
If you'd like a whisper of heat, add a small pinch of red pepper flakes to the butter sauce. A splash of white wine (about 1/4 cup) can replace half the lemon juice for a richer, less acidic finish. Fresh tarragon or dill stirred into the warm butter adds herbal complexity.
For make-ahead ease, prep the asparagus trim and garlic mincing up to 4 hours ahead. The entire dish comes together in about 20 minutes once you start cooking.