6 Salmon Fillets, 1/2 − 3/4 inch thick, skinned
2 1/2 cups unsalted butter or margarine
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon dried thyme (do not use fresh − it will burn)
Lemon wedges and Parsley for garnish
Trim off the thin edges of fillets as these would burn. Pat dry
and refrigerate until ready to cook. The butter sauce adheres
better to cold fillets.
In heavy 3−quart cast−iron frying pan over medium heat, melt
butter, add lemon juice, cayenne, salt, black pepper and thyme.
Stir to blend; cool to lukewarm.
Place an empty 10−inch cast−iron skillet over high heat until
bottom has a definite white haze and begins to smoke slightly.
Remove fish from refrigerator; dip 1 fillet in warm butter sauce,
coating well. Place fish in hot skillet, taking care that spits
and spatters do not burn you. Fish will sear and cook almost
immediately. Turn fillet over; blacken other side. Repeat with
remaining fillets.
Reserve remaining butter sauce. As fillets are cooked, place
them on individual plates; keep warm. Discard accumulated butter
sauce in skillet and charred bits between batches. When all
fillets have been cooked, wipe skillet clean and place empty
skillet back on heat. Add reserved butter sauce; carefully swirl
skillet 5 or 6 times to blacken butter. Remove pan from heat;
drizzle butter over each fillet. Garnish and serve hot.
