Wild king salmon or steelhead trout marinaded in lemon, honey, and Dijon; quickly pan-seared; and topped with a dreamy sauce of fresh and flavorful herbs, chives, garlic, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, lemon, and Dijon. Served atop creamy, garlicky parmesan polenta with sweet juicy corn, alongside pan-seared zucchini and blistered grape tomatoes for a fast, easy, healthy, and blow-your-mind delicious summertime meal. 
After the first time making my Maple Bourbon Salmon, I was positively convinced that salmon could not get any better than that. So for a few years, the magically delicious marinade/glaze of maple syrup, bourbon, orange juice, and soy sauce was the default, without a second thought. And I have no regrets. In fact, if you haven’t tried it yet, GO GET THAT RECIPE TOO. It will rock your world.
But, last Sunday I resolved to venture away from my go-to and actually create a new salmon recipe this week. After a couple days without a plan, I almost reached for that tried and true maple syrup again, but at the last minute felt a surge of summery inspiration. And I am ELATED that I ran with it.
Salmon vs. Steelhead Trout
Here I used steelhead trout, which can be used pretty much interchangeably with king salmon. It looks and tastes very similar; but, when cooked, steelhead trout forms larger, meatier flakes like no other fish I’ve tried, with the perfect balance of chew and tenderness. I usually choose whichever is fresher when buying. If you have steelhead trout available, I definitely recommend adding it to your dinner rotation!
Summery Bliss
The preparation is extremely simple and designed to use ingredients you may have on-hand. The marinade of Dijon, honey, and lemon keeps the fish extra moist and flavorful throughout, and the herb sauce…oh my holy wow THE CREAMY HERB SAUCE. It is simply a blend of fresh summery yumminess–mixed herbs, chives, garlic, lemon, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, and Dijon. For the herbs, I used basil, parsley, and tarragon, but mint and dill would also be wonderful additions or subs. If you experiment with others, I’d love to hear about it!
For the fish, all you need is a quick pan-sear for a beautiful char and melt-in-your-mouth interior. Please please please don’t overcook it…for me. It should only take about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness, and it will continue cooking after removing it from the heat. As a sign of doneness, look for big flakes becoming noticeable.
Feel free to be creative with sides, but this creamy polenta with garlic, parmigiana-reggiano, and fresh corn is HEAVENLY. And it only takes 10 minutes!
Finally, the season’s prized zucchini and grape tomatoes cook alongside the fish in just minutes and make for the perfect balanced meal. If you know someone who claims to dislike tomatoes, pop one of these blistered bombs of sweet juiciness in their mouth and watch their world turn upside down. (Or offer it to them politely…)
Pan-Seared Salmon (or Trout) with Creamy Herb Sauce and Parmesan Polenta
Notes
*Be sure if using olive oil or another heat-sensitive oil that you do not overheat it, or it will smoke. Refined avocado or almond oil are great high-heat options.
Ingredients
For the fish:
- 4 4-5 oz filets king salmon or steelhead trout
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon
- pinch sea salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1-2 tsp oil for the pan*
For the herb sauce:
- 1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs (basil, parsley, mint, tarragon, and/or dill)
- 2 Tbsp plain full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbsp cultured buttermilk
- 2 tsp Dijon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- small handful fresh chives
- sea salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
For the polenta:
- 120g (3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp) yellow corn grits/polenta
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup 1% or 2% milk
- 2/3 cup (100g) fresh corn kernels
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 oz (heaping 1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 - 1 tsp unsalted butter, to taste
Instructions
- Combine honey, lemon, Dijon, salt and pepper in a zip-top baggy. Add fish and marinate at least 1 hour.
- Prepare the sauce by adding all sauce ingredients to a high-power food processor or blender. Process on high speed until a sauce has formed, or to desired consistency.
- Make the polenta: Bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Immediately stir in polenta. Reduce heat and stir in milk. Lightly simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 6-7 minutes. (Time will vary depending on the type/brand.) Stir in corn and garlic. Cover, remove from heat, and rest another 5 minutes to finish cooking. Finally, fold in Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter. Divide between plates or shallow bowls.
- Gently heat oil in a skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Remove fish from marinade and place in skillet. Cook 2-4 minutes per side (depending on thickness), until it begins to flake easily.
- Transfer fish to plates/bowls atop the polenta. Spoon herb sauce over each filet.
- If desired, pan-sear thickly sliced zucchini and grape tomatoes in the same skillet as the salmon, and serve on the side. Top with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try!
Great article, love your sharing so much, thank you!
So glad to hear that! Thank you! š