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The basil season has finally arrived, so I thought “what better than salmon to sublimate this very aromatic herb?!” It was also the perfect opportunity to test another technique for pan-frying salmon. Indeed the challenge of this cooking is to have the outside of a golden and crispy salmon without overcooking the inside to keep a creamy texture and avoid having a dry fish.
So I decided to cover the salmon filets with a spice crust that will give it a nice crispy, golden and tasteful coat, while protecting the inside of the flesh from direct heat.
To counterbalance the strong aromas, I softened the basil by using it as a base of a cream. It brings another texture to the dish and a vibrant green color which has its own effect
Looking at the pictures, you may wonder what raw and cold cucumbers are doing there. In addition to the decorative contribution, the freshness of the cucumbers balances this oily fish and the richness of the basil cream.

Mix the spices, herbs and salt.
Place the mix on a plate
Rub both sides of the filets with this mix, cover them with clingfilm and let stand for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan of boiling water, cook the basil leaves for 30 seconds and dip them in the bowl of iced water to stop cooking.
Drain and remove excess water with a cloth or paper towel.
In a saucepan put the broth previously diluted in 15 cl of water, the sour cream and the basil and simmer 8 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Mix everything in a blender to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Bring it back to a boil in the saucepan and and off the heat, add the buutte and whisk.
In a hot frying pan, brush a thin layer of oil, once the oil is heated, cook the salmon for 2 minutes without touching in one side, turn over and cook for 2 minutes again.
For the plating, place the basil cream first then the salmon.
You can add the cucumber slices to the edge of the plates.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix the spices, herbs and salt.
Place the mix on a plate
Rub both sides of the filets with this mix, cover them with clingfilm and let stand for 30 minutes on the kitchen counter.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan of boiling water, cook the basil leaves for 30 seconds and dip them in the bowl of iced water to stop cooking.
Drain and remove excess water with a cloth or paper towel.
In a saucepan put the broth previously diluted in 15 cl of water, the sour cream and the basil and simmer 8 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Mix everything in a blender to obtain a homogeneous mixture.
Bring it back to a boil in the saucepan and and off the heat, add the buutte and whisk.
In a hot frying pan, brush a thin layer of oil, once the oil is heated, cook the salmon for 2 minutes without touching in one side, turn over and cook for 2 minutes again.
For the plating, place the basil cream first then the salmon.
You can add the cucumber slices to the edge of the plates.