Crispy Skin Salmon

Dinner | Mediterranean

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 15 min Servings: 2

Crispy skin fish is one of those techniques worth practising because once you have it down, the whole approach to cooking fish at home changes. The key is dry skin, a hot pan, and patience. Most of the cook time is skin side down, using a protein press (or a heavy based frying pan) to keep flat contact with the pan throughout. When you lift it off the heat, you rest it skin side up so the skin stays crisp while you finish plating. I’ve used salmon here but the method is identical for snapper, trout, or barramundi.

The white bean and kale salad is a hearty salad while still being quite light. Shallots and garlic go in first, kale wilts down in the pan, then white beans and chicken stock go in to pull everything together and give it some body. A squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it from feeling heavy. You could serve the salmon with grilled greens or a simple salad instead, but the beans and kale make it a complete meal without needing anything else on the side.

Ingredient Notes

Salmon fillets, skin on: The skin needs to go into the pan completely dry so moisture doesn’t create steam and prevent crisping. Pat the skin down firmly with paper towel just before seasoning and cooking. If the fillet has a thin belly flap, tuck it under or trim it so the fillet sits evenly in the pan. A roughly 200g portion per person, or 250g if you want a larger portion.

Kale: Strip the leaves from the tough stems before chopping. The stems take much longer to cook than the leaves and will stay chewy while everything else is done. Curly kale works well here, as does cavolo nero or silverbeet if kale isn’t available. It wilts down significantly in the pan, so what looks like a large bunch raw will cook down to a sensible portion for two.

White beans: A 400g can of white beans works perfectly here. Cannellini beans and butter beans are both good options. Rinse and drain them well before adding to the pan. They just need to warm through and absorb some of the pan juices as the stock reduces. You can also use dried beans cooked from scratch if you prefer, but the canned version is the practical choice for a weeknight recipe.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Tongs
Heavy-based frying pan
Protein press
Wire rack and tray (for resting)
Deep frying pan
Zester or fine grater

Ingredients

Salmon
2 salmon fillets, skin on, boned (roughly 200g each)
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt, to season
Kale and White Beans
1 tbsp olive oil
400g can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch kale, leaves chopped
125ml (½ cup) chicken stock
zest of 1 lemon
3 shallots, finely sliced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
sea salt, to season

Directions

Cook Crispy Skin Salmon
Pat the skin of the salmon dry with a paper towel. Season the skin with salt.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy based frying pan over medium heat.
Place the salmon in the pan, skin side down. Season the salmon flesh with salt and reduce the heat to medium low. Place a protein press on the salmon. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until the pink flesh begins to cook through.
Remove the protein press and increase the heat to medium to finish crisping the skin.
Carefully turn salmon over and cook for a further minute, to warm through the flesh side.
Transfer to a rack over a tray and rest for a few minutes, skin side up.
Cook Kale and White Beans
While the salmon is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and season with salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until starting to soften.
Stir in garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the kale leaves and toss through until starting to wilt, then cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
Stir in the white beans and chicken stock and stir to deglaze the pan. Allow the stock to reduce for a few minutes until it becomes a little sticky.
Spoon kale mixture into serving bowls. Top with the lemon zest, then the salmon. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe notes

Chef Tips

Pat the skin completely dry

Moisture on the skin is the enemy of crispiness. Before you do anything else, press a sheet of paper towel firmly along the entire skin side of the fillet. Any surface moisture turns to steam in the pan, which effectively steams the skin rather than frying it. Season the skin with salt immediately before it goes into the pan, not in advance.

Hold the fish flat

Salmon fillets have a natural curve that lifts the skin away from the pan as it heats. A protein press solves this by applying even downward pressure for the first few minutes of cooking. If you don’t have one, use a heavy pan or a flat-based spatula to press the fillet down for the first minute or two until the skin relaxes and lies flat. Once it’s flat, leave it alone.

Storage

The salmon is best eaten immediately. Crispy skin does not survive refrigeration well and will be soft by the time you reheat it. The kale and white bean mixture keeps better. Store it separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a pan with a splash of water or stock. Cook fresh salmon when you’re ready to serve.

FAQs

Can I use a different fish? Yes. Any skin-on fillet with similar thickness works. Snapper, trout, barramundi, and mackerel all suit this method. The cook time may vary slightly depending on thickness, so keep an eye on the flesh rather than watching the clock. The technique is the same regardless of which fish you use.

What if I don’t have a protein press? Use a second heavy-based frying pan. Place it directly on top of the salmon fillet as soon as it goes skin side down in the pan. This applies the same downward pressure. Remove it after a few minutes once the skin has set flat against the pan.

Can I make the kale and beans ahead? Yes. Cook the kale and white bean mixture up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Reheat in a pan while you cook the salmon fresh to order. The beans actually improve slightly after a day as the flavours develop. Just cook the salmon to order.