red wine braised salmon
Have you ever seen a fish dressed up so pretty?
Just say no, please, and stoke my ego.
I’ve held this recipe for a couple months now, and today is the day our salmons swim upstream. I love this dish. One of the more unique preparations of salmon you’ll ever see, and one at which you may be scratching your skin. Red wine and salmon?
But trust me, peeps. The flaky richness of salmon pairs so well with a deep bourguignon-like sauce. It is eye candy on your holiday table. And pretty fucken near actual candy in your mouth.
We’re winding down on turkey day – non-turkey day if you’re me – recipes here on the FMG, and this Red Wine Braised Salmon deserves consideration as your main dish the day of. Comes together in under an hour and requires a minimal array of ingredients. My mom and I usually do fish on Thanksgiving nowadays and there’s a solid chance this one is a finalist on my menu. Last year, we opted for Cranberry Braised Salmon. Which, honestly, you can’t go wrong with, either.
Wine AND Dine
Yep, that’s the name of the game here. Pour yourself a glass and use the rest for dinner. Booyah. Multitasking.
As far as the wine goes, use one you know you like drinking. There exists an old adage in cooking that if the wine you use is shit, the dish will probably be shit, too (perhaps different, more eloquent phrasing there, but you get the point). I typically drink cabernet sauvignons myself, so that’s what I utilized for the salmon.
Get some good quality filets of fish and pat them very dry with paper towels. Dryness is important for a good sear. Rub each with smoked paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, and a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with some olive oil.
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a big skillet. Cook each salmon 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook another 3-4. You’ll know the fish is good to go when it releases easily from the pan: any stickage means it’s not quite there yet. Or your pan is awful. Place the crisped salmons on a plate and set aside.
A Saucy Disposition
A bonus of this recipe that I failed to mention prior is that it’s a total one pan wonder. Well, beside whatever accompaniment you choose – that shit’s up to you.
If your skillet looks a bit too dry, add a touch more olive oil. Saute some shallots for a few minutes, then toss in a couple pats of butter and melt down. Swirl in oregano and tomato paste, then brown sugar, and finally dump in a bowlful of chopped carrots.
Pour in the wine and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The sauce should thicken up a little, but we help it out with the final addition of a cornstarch slurry.
To prep that dude, just mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water. Pour into the sauce and stir until it incorporates. This happens quickly!
Set the salmon back into the pan and baste with the sauce for a couple minutes. The slurry helps the red wine hug the fish instead of running right off back into the pan.
Serve the salmon over potatoes, wild rice, or some kind of rice pilaf. Steamed broccoli or roasted brussels sprouts are great veggie options, too. Of course, if this will be part of your Thanksgiving array, check out my 2024 menu for all the inspiration you could POSSIBLY need for creating your own perfect holiday dinner!
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!
Special salmon suppers:
Creamy Dijon White Wine Salmon
Ginger Maple Salmon Rice Bowls
Sheet Pan Sticky Pomegranate Salmon
Garlic Butter Blackened Salmon Scampi with Parmesan Rice
Bourbon Brown Sugar Salmon with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
red wine braised salmon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb salmon
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 shallots, minced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 carrot, chopped
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp water
- mashed potatoes, wild rice, or rice pilaf, to serve
Instructions
- Slice the salmon into 4-6 filets. Pat very dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, toss together the smoked paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle the fish with about 1 tbsp olive oil, then rub all over with the seasoning blend.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium. Sear the filets for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook 3-4 minutes longer until the fish is crisp and releases easily from the pan. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Drizzle a touch more olive oil in the skillet if it seems dry. Saute the shallots for 2-3 minutes. Melt the butter, then stir in the oregano and tomato paste. Whip in the brown sugar, then the carrots.
- Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Pour in the starch slurry and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add the salmon back into the skillet and baste with the sauce.
- Serve the fish, carrots, and sauce over mashed potatoes, wild rice, or rice pilaf, as desired.
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