I don't season the skin side, until the fish goes on the plate.
Before we bought new cookware in February, I used a cast iron griddle, a Calphalon aniodic (but definitely not non-stick) aluminum pan, and an ordinary restaurant grade aluminum pan. They all worked fine. Now I either use the same Lodge griddle, a cast iron pan, a carbon steel pan or a copper pan with a stainless liner. They all work just fine too. Ramsay has an endorsement deal, you don't. The right size is more important than anything else. You want is something heavy enough to handle a fair amount of heat without warping; something that will spread the heat fairly evenly; and if you're using non-stick, something heavy duty enough to handle metal utensils without scratching. Don't use a plastic spatula. I'm not kidding, don't use one for this.
Ramsay uses non-stick pans, they do work. I don't like them, but let's be grown up. If that's what you like, knock yourself out.
Use a very high quality salmon; the best you can find (and afford); one with a high fat content. More fat = better skin. Ordinary, farmed "Atlantic salmon" is marginal. If you're using frozen (as you are) defrost gently, overnight in the refrigerator. Don't let the defrosted salmon sit around too long before cooking. Older fish skin won't perform nearly as well as fresher. Depending on the fish, "day two" is pushing it.
Remove the salmon from the refrigerator. Dry with paper towels or napkins. Get the fish as dry as possible. Paper towels are good enough. You don't have to hold a fan over it, or air dry it in the fridge; but attention to detail and taking the extra step won't hurt either. Don't season. When the salmon is dry, put it skin side down on a couple of layers of paper towel, and give it a few minutes to temp.
Meanwhile, thoroughly preheat a dry pan to just below "smoking hot." A medium-high flame is about right. You're not trying to blacken.
Add a very small amount of a neutral, high-smoke point oil to the pan. The pan should be hot enough for the oil to thin and run like water. If not, wait until it does and the air above it shimmers.
The idea is to allow the skin to crisp the skin in the salmon's own fat as it renders between the flesh and skin, and to crystallize the skin's proteins. The process has more in common with searing than frying or a saute. Let me repeat -- NOT SAUTE, NOT FRY. It's not exactly a sear either -- so you can get away with non-stick.
While you prep and preheat, leave the salmon skin-side down on a paper towel.
Use your hand to put the salmon in the pan, skin side down. Season the top. You may use your spat or fingers to press the top of the fish at this point to make sure the contact between pan and skin is flat and even. Don't try to move the salmon sidewise or lift it; it will tear the skin off. After that single touch, let the salmon cook without disturbing it.
As the skin crisps, keep your eye on the side of the piece. The flesh nearest the skin will slowly turn opaque. DO NOT TOUCH the fish until the opaque band is at least 1/3 of the way up the fish. Only move the pan to make sure the heat is centered beneath the fish.
Shake the pan, and if the fish moves easily -- you can gently lift it to check the skin. If the skin is as done as you like it, you may turn the fish. If not, give it a bit longer -- but only a bit. If it does not move easily, give it 30 seconds and try again. Then another 30 seconds and a shake before resorting to loosening it with your spat. Try knocking the fish sidewise with the edge of the spat (or your tongs) before trying to lift it. Lifting is the last resort.
A slotted "fish spatula" is your best bet -- partly because it's slotted, and partly because it's thin. (If you're left-handed you might find it worthwhile to buy a left-handed fish spat. No kidding. Fish spats are angled across the front edge, which makes them "handed.") Be very careful lifting the fish from the pan with a spatula or tongs. You already know the skin is sticking.
Turn the fish over and cook the second side only as long as necessary to get a bit of brown on it. This should take less than 60 seconds. Keep your eye on the side of the fish -- you want the middle 1/3 - 1/4 to be mostly translucent. Touch test the salmon for doneness.
Salmon cooked this way should be served mid-rare shading towards rare; or rare shading to mid rare; or mid rare. Not very rare, not medium rare, not anything else; unless, of course, at your guest's, spouse's or lover's request. If you slightly overcook to mid-mid-rare, that's okay but not ideal. It sounds very critical, but between the touch test and the appearance of the salmon's built-in thermometer you should be able to hit the right degree of mid-rare very consistently.
Hot, too-rare salmon will make you gag. Overcooked salmon is dry and flaky. You don't want to learn how to hit your temps that way -- but everyone does. So allow yourself the room to learn.
Turn out the salmon, skin side up, onto a plate which has already been garnished. Finish seasoning with a light dusting of very coarse salt. If you're saucing, use restraint as to type and amount. You may further garnish the fish with herbs, citrus slices, ultra-thin slices of shallot, etc.
A skilled variation would have you adding butter, a sprig of rosemary and a whole garlic clove when the skin side is about halfway done, and speed-basting the top of the fish with the butter while the skin finishes. After the fish is cooked, rest it, and pour out the pan -- butter, garlic, rosemary and all. Then return the pan to a very high flame, add shallots, toss them while they pick up a little color, deglaze with white wine, let it reduce a little, mount some butter, pour over the fish, and sprinkle with a chopped parsley, a bit of dill, and some micro-planed lemon zest. I suggest waiting until you can get consistently crisp skin before trying this.
BDL
Edited by boar_d_laze - 9/13/11 at 9:08am
