Savor the perfect crunch with our Cracker Crumb Filet of Salmon. Delicately seasoned salmon, coated in a golden cracker crumb crust, delivers an array of textures. Each bite is a crispy, flavorful journey when eating the salmon, creating a harmony of taste and texture on your plate. A gourmet experience that's as delightful as it is delicious!
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter - 054130
- 3 medium garlic cloves, smashed - 192922
- 3/4 cup finely crushed buttery crackers (such as Ritz) (about 15 crackers) - 376089
- 3/4 cup panko - 669253
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, plus thyme sprigs for garnish - 193482
- 2 teaspoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest (from 1 lemon) plus 3 whole Meyer lemons, halved crosswise, divided - 199960
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided - 191565
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided - 052100
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper - 191389
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream - 195486
- 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard - 076512
- 1 tablespoons olive oil - 053059
- 1 (3-pound) skin-on salmon fillet (1 1/4 inches thick), pin bones removed - 488119
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is soft and foam begins to stick to pan sides and turn golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard garlic. Scrape off and discard hardened foam from surface of melted butter; pour clear butter into a heatproof dish to yield about 1/4 cup, stopping before you get to the milk solids on bottom of pan. Discard milk solids.
- Stir together crushed crackers, panko, minced thyme, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cayenne in a medium bowl until combined. Add melted butter, and stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Place an 18-inch baking dish or a large baking sheet in preheated oven; let heat 10 minutes. Stir together cream and mustard in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Carefully remove hot baking dish from oven; drizzle oil evenly in baking dish, and place fish, skin side down, in center of dish. Sprinkle fish with remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Brush fish evenly with cream mixture. Top fish evenly with cracker mixture, gently pressing crumbs into fish to adhere. Arrange halved lemons, cut side down, alongside fish in dish.
- Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without removing baking dish from oven, reduce oven temperature to 400°F. Bake until crumbs turn an even dark golden brown and a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of fish registers 120°F, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven, and let rest 5 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise to 125°F.) Arrange fish and lemon halves on platter, and garnish with thyme sprigs.
