one skillet cranberry braised salmon
Because I have the attention span of a pea, we’re sticking with a one-pan dinner today.
Honest to fuck, people, all this Christmas baking is, while fun, driving me up the wall. Nothing is photographing well for some reason. Late fall/winter is a tricky period for photography since the ideal window for capturing good shots is slender: the angles in my house only allow for about 2 hours of really perfect light, otherwise this city ain’t built on rock and roll, it’s built on glare and broken dreams.
Aight, that’s dramatic, but you catch my drift. The uncooperative tendencies of Mother Nature are frustrating, and today I’m feeling that frustration.
But, the good news is that one skillet meals exist for a reason, when you’re unfussed about dinner but would rather keep away from drive thru lines. I don’t really get tempted by takeout most of the time, but I do revert to omelets and toast more than I’d like to admit. Cranberry Braised Salmon takes about as much time as singing a really long Phish song and tastes magnificent. A bit sweet, a bit tart, with the gloriously flaky fish we all know and love starring as the centerpiece. I’d argue this is pretty enough for a Christmas centerpiece.
One Pan Wonder
My wit is nonexistent today, so pardon my lame titling.
This really is a simple dinner, very friendly to those who may be having a rough day or week, or just generally don’t have the attention span to whip out four pans for a meal. The result looks quite impressive and time consuming, even though you need around 30-35 minutes for the whole shebang. Not bad!
I dry the salmon well so it crisps up really well in the pan, and keep the seasonings easy with salt and pepper only. Sear up the fish filets until golden and opaque, then move them off the skillet onto a plate.
Melt some butter and stir in a little thyme, then the good shit for the saucy sauce. Red wine, apple cider, brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon, and lots of fresh cranberries. No, dried won’t work here. Cook down the berries until they’re very jammy and thick. Sort of like cranberry sauce but not quite as voluptuous.
To Serve or Not To Serve
Well, if you made the salmon filets I’d hope you go as far as to actually serve them, so that’s a dumb question if anyone asks.
I chose a batch of my mashed potatoes for the side dish and typically roast or steam a veggie for a little green. A wild rice pilaf or honey butter polenta are awesome too, or a big green salad; and always, always wine. My thoughts? Whatever wine you cooked with, so long as you follow the golden rule and only cook with wine you like to drink.
Hope ya’lls weeks continue to go nicely. You’ll find me hammering down cookie recipes in the kitchen, frantically trying to get my lighting to cooperate. Onward!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More one skillet wonders:
One Skillet Cheesy Buffalo Jackfruit Enchiladas
One Skillet Creamy Coconut Lime Salmon
one skillet cranberry braised salmon
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon filets
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- wild rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta, to serve
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the salmon dry and season generously with salt and pepper, then place skin-side down in the skillet for 4 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes until opaque and starting to flake. Move to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter, then stir in the thyme. Pour in the cranberries, cider, red wine, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until thickened and jam-like in consistency, stirring occasionally. Add more cider if the berries seem too dry.
- Slide the salmon and any juices back in the skillet and baste with the cranberries. Divide into plates and serve with mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, or polenta, as desired.
