Garlic Butter Salmon Asparagus

# What You Need:

→ Fish & Seafood

01 - 4 salmon fillets (approximately 6 oz each), skin-on or skinless

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 pound asparagus, trimmed

03 - 1 lemon, sliced

→ Sauces & Fats

04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Aromatics & Seasonings

06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

07 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

# How-To:

01 - Pat salmon fillets dry and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.

02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus and set aside.

03 - Add remaining olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Place salmon fillets skin-side down if using skin-on. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until fish is just cooked through.

04 - Add minced garlic, thyme, and the remaining butter to the skillet. Sauté for 30 seconds until aromatic, spooning melted butter over the salmon fillets.

05 - Add lemon slices and cooked asparagus to the skillet. Toss gently to coat in garlic butter. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve promptly.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

Once you taste that garlic butter draped over crisp salmon, you'll want it in your weeknight rotation.
It brings the promise of a spring evening right to your plate, and cleanup is blissfully simple.

02 -

If you crowd the pan, salmon steams instead of sears and loses its crispiness.
Adding garlic too early risks burning, so always wait for the butter to melt before introducing it.

03 -

Let the skillet heat until just smoking before adding salmon for instant crust.
Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine right before the butter to elevate the sauce.