Seared salmon with honey-mustard vermouth sauce

Cooked (Oct 26, 2026)

Mediterranean home cooking · main · Serves: amount not given

Ingredients

Salmon fillet, skin on (amount not given)
Salt; a little oil
Lemon: slices for the oven, plus a squeeze to serve
Sauce: about 1 tsp of the pan fat, 3–4 tbsp vermouth, 1 tsp mustard (IKEA Swedish, slightly sweet), ½–1 tsp honey (less if the vermouth is sweet), ½ tsp dark soy sauce, a splash of water if needed, a squeeze of lemon, an optional knob of butter
Side: oven-roasted vegetables (which vegetables: not given; see roasted-vegetables)

Start the vegetables first in the oven at 200–220°C, fan on.
Pat the salmon very dry and salt it. Let it sit 10–15 min out of the fridge if you can.
Heat an oven-safe pan on medium-high with a little oil until it shimmers.
Lay the salmon skin side down and press it flat for 10–15 seconds. Sear 2–3 min until the skin is crisp. Don't flip.
Finish in the oven at 200–220°C for 5–7 min, in the pan or moved onto the vegetable tray. Lemon slices go on the flesh, not the skin.
Done when the centre just flakes (50–55°C inside for medium, 63°C fully cooked). Hold the hot pan handle with a towel.
Sauce: pour off all but about 1 tsp of fat. On medium heat, deglaze with the vermouth, scrape up the browned bits, and reduce by half (about 1 min).
Stir in the mustard, honey and dark soy. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick; it should coat a spoon.
Off the heat, add a squeeze of lemon and swirl in the butter if using. Taste: more lemon if too sweet, a touch more honey if too sharp. Spoon over the salmon and vegetables.

Lemon butter pan sauce: garlic or shallot, a splash of white wine or stock, cold butter, lemon, parsley or dill
Creamy version with a few spoons of cream; capers or Dijon
Glaze instead of sauce: 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp mustard, a few drops of soy and a little lemon, brushed on before the oven