Fine Dining Salmon | Crispy Skin Chicharron & Beurre Blanc Sauce

Using a delicate unilateral cooking method, the salmon is cooked skin-side down until perfectly tender, paired with a silky beurre blanc sauce kissed with dill oil. Finished with microgreens and a crisp salmon skin chicharron, this dish brings texture, balance, and elegance to the plate.

👨‍🍳 Follow along as I break down chef-level techniques you can recreate at home — from mastering unilateral cooking to building layers of flavor with a classic beurre blanc.

🎥 Watch the Full Recipe Video

Why You’ll Love This Fine-Dining Salmon

• Tender, perfectly cooked flesh from the unilateral (skin-side down) method.

• Crispy chicharron skin for strong textural contrast.

• Silky beurre blanc finished with dill oil for brightness and aroma.

• Elegant plating that’s doable at home — restaurant results without the fuss.

🧈 Beurre Blanc

Ingredients

• 60 ml dry white wine (¼ cup)

• 30 ml white wine vinegar (2 tbsp)

• 1 shallot, minced (≈30 g / 1 oz)

• 170 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed (¾ cup / 1½ sticks)

• Kosher salt, to taste

• 15 ml dill oil (1 tbsp)

Method

1. In a saucepan, reduce wine, vinegar, and shallot over medium heat until nearly dry.

2. Lower the heat and whisk in the cold butter gradually until the sauce is silky and emulsified.

3. Season with salt and finish with a drizzle of dill oil just before serving.

🌿 Dill Oil

Ingredients

• 50–60 g fresh dill (≈2 packed cups)

• 80 g spinach (≈3 packed cups)

• 300 ml avocado oil or neutral oil (1¼ cups)

• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Combine dill, spinach, oil, and salt in a blender.

2. Blend until temperature reaches 120–140°F (49–60°C) to extract vibrant green color.

3. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth over an ice bath to lock in color.

4. Store chilled until ready to drizzle.

🐟 Salmon — Unilateral Method & Skin Chicharron

Ingredients / Prep

• Salmon fillets, skin on (scale & dry skin thoroughly)

• Kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper

• Neutral oil (for pan)

Method

1. Prep the skin: Pat the fillet skin very dry. Lightly score large fillets if needed. Salt the skin and season the flesh just before cooking.

2. Heat pan: Use a heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless); heat over medium-high to hot, then reduce to medium. Add a thin layer of neutral oil and let it shimmer.

3. Cook skin-side down: Gently place salmon skin-side down. Press briefly to ensure full contact with the pan. Cook skin-side down only (do not flip) — this unilateral method renders the skin and cooks the flesh gently from the skin up. Adjust heat so the skin crisps without burning.

4. Check doneness: Cook until flesh is opaque most of the way up and still slightly translucent at the center (carryover will finish it). Timing varies by thickness (typically 6–10 minutes).

5. Make the chicharron: To produce a separate crisp salmon-skin chicharron, remove skin from some trimmed pieces, dry, and flash-fry (or bake at high temp) until puffed and crispy. Drain on paper.

6. Rest briefly: Let fillets rest a minute skin-side up to keep skin crisp.

Plating

• Spoon a pool of warm beurre blanc on the plate.

• Place salmon on the sauce, skin-side up (or leaning to show crisp skin).

• Add salmon skin chicharron for crunch.

• Drizzle with dill oil, scatter microgreens, and finish with a tiny flake of sea salt. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

• Pair with lightly sautéed baby leeks, fingerling potatoes, or a simple beurre blanc–glazed asparagus.

• A crisp, mineral white wine (Sancerre/Chablis) complements the richness.

Please do well to get your equipment using the following links — these are the exact tools I used to make this dish:

• Desiccant Food Saver Packets

• Cake Tester

• Protein Press

• Fermentation bottles

• Digital Scale

• Zacme Stand Mixer

• Blow Torch

• Mold Brothers Tuile Molds

• Cuisinart 2 qt. Ice Cream Maker Machine

• Sheet Pan With Wire Cooling Rack

• Benriner Japanese Mandoline

• Duxtop Portable Induction Cooktop Burner

• Flat Parchment Paper For Baking 12x16 Sheets

• Winco 2 oz. Ladle

• Spider Strainer Set of 3

• Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer

• Chef IQ Smart Pressure Cooker

• Vita Mix Blender

• Microplane Zester

• Bench Scraper

• Caraway Mini Nonstick Fry Pan

• Kagayaki Japanese Chef Knife Gyuto 8.2 in.

• Made In Cookware 10 in Stainless Steel Frying Pan

• Hedley & Bennett Professional Chef Crossback Apron

Camera & Filming Accessories (if you want the same setup I use)

• Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Camera

• Nikkor Z 24-70 mm f/2.8s Zoom Lens

• Dazzne LED Video Lights 3000k-8000k (2pk)

• Synco Wireless Lavalier Microphone

• Overhead C-Stand with Boom Arm (10.8 ft.)

• Asus ZenBook Laptop

Chef’s Tips (Quick Wins)

• Skin prep: Score or trim the skin so it lays flat; moisture is the enemy of crispness — pat dry.

• Heat control: Use medium heat after preheating; too hot burns the skin before the flesh cooks.

• Beurre blanc: Keep butter cold and whisk gradually off-heat to avoid breaking the emulsion. If it separates, whisk a tablespoon of cold water or a little cream to bring it back.

• Dill oil color: Keep blender temp controlled; cool quickly over an ice bath to lock vibrant green.

• Crispy chicharron: If frying skin, do it briefly at high heat or bake until puffed — don’t overcrowd.

Final Thoughts

This fine dining salmon balances technique and flavor — the unilateral method delivers tender, luscious fish, the chicharron brings the crunch, and the beurre blanc + dill oil tie everything together. Try it tonight and elevate a simple dinner into something memorable.