Salmon with Dill Butter

Salmon with Dill Butter

Happy New Year to all of you!  I hope your Christmas season was full of love and cheer and 2012 is welcoming you with open arms.  Tim and I were both off work last week; we had a lovely week with family, friends and lots of time for relaxation.  My sister came over one of the evenings and we had an Italian themed food and movie night.  Pictures and recipes will be coming soon, but the evening was a blast!  I hope food is fun for you in this New Year.  I know I am excited to create more healthful and delicious recipes now that the holiday season is over and we begin anew.  My first recipe for 2012 should be incredibly light and healthy…this is not what I expected to post with all the butter.  But it is delicious and full of those necessary Omega 3s…and it is incredibly quick to put together!  It is also written for two servings for all those friends out there cooking for two. 

The flavors in this salmon dish work together so perfectly.  Salmon has a heavier, fattier feel when no effort is made to counteract it.  By using this butter mixture, full of acids from lemon and mustard, that fattier feel is lightened and the salmon becomes something bright and lovely.  Paired with a steamed green vegetable, this salmon does become a healthful meal.  The power punch of the Omegas 3s will help you begin 2012 on the right foot!

Ingredients

2 Salmon fillets

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 Tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 ½ Teaspoons lemon juice

½ Teaspoon salt

¼ Teaspoon pepper

Step 1

There are soooo many steps to this recipe, you might want to make yourself a latte and brace yourself for this process…did you do it?  Are you ready?  Here we go! 

Combine the butter, chopped fresh dill, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

Whew!  Finally Step 1 is over...on to 2...

Step 2

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add about 3 tablespoons of the butter mixture and allow it to melt. 

When it does, add the salmon fillets.  Let them sauté for about 4 minutes on each side (they are easily flaked when they are finished).  Remove the salmon from the pan and top each fillet with a dollop (I just love that word!) of the butter mixture.  It will begin to melt down the fillet and look beautiful and inviting on your plate.

That’s it!!!  I admit it, I lied about the large quantity of steps.  I really just wanted you to make yourself a latte.  You deserve it!  Pamper yourself a little each day.  THAT should be your resolution this year.  Just sayin’…

Gastronome's Note:  You will have leftover butter.  Add some to your vegetables or save it to use again!