Our Favorite Beach House Salmon Dinner
40aprons.com/favorite-beach-house-dinner-idea-salmon-potatoes-artichoke/I've made this beach house dinner SO many times! Salmon is given a lift with my favorite seasoning blend before it is served with steamed potatoes, vegetables, and plenty of butter and lemon. It's easy, endlessly adaptable, and is designed for small, poorly equipped rental kitchens.
Recipe Makes (Approximate):
Equipment
- cast iron or stainless steel pan
- Steamer basket and a suitable lidded pot or pan to use it with
- Scissors optional, if you want to remove the artichoke tips
Ingredients
For the Salmon
- 2 salmon fillets (6–8 oz each, skin on)
- olive oil (or neutral oil)
- Kosher salt and black pepper (or loads of your favorite seasoning)
- lemon wedges (for serving)
For the Asparagus
- 1 bunch asparagus (tough ends snapped off)
- Kosher salt
- melted butter, lemon, and flaky salt (for finishing)
For the Artichokes
- 2 whole artichokes
- melted butter, mayonnaise, lemon (for serving)
For the Red Potatoes
- 1–1.5 pounds small red potatoes (halved or quartered if large)
- Kosher salt
- melted butter, seasoning of choice, or just salt and pepper, lemon (for finishing)
Instructions
For the Salmon
- Pat salmon completely dry on a piece of kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper (or seasoning!) on both sides. Heat a cast iron or stainless pan over medium-high until very hot — add a thin layer of oil and let it shimmer.
- Place salmon skin-side up and don't move it. Sear for 3–4 minutes until deeply golden, and the flesh releases easily from the pan. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes for medium — the center should be slightly translucent when you press it). Remove from heat and rest a minute before serving with lemon wedges.
Other Protein Options
- For white fish (halibut, cod, sea bass): Both the cooking and preparation method is the same, but cook through completely — the flesh should be fully opaque and flake easily. It won't take as long as salmon, so keep an eye on it!
- For steak: Bring the steak to room temperature and season aggressively with salt and pepper — or seasoning blend. Sear in a ripping hot cast iron 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare, depending on thickness. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing — this final step is non-negotiable!
For the Asparagus
- Place the asparagus in a steamer basket over an inch of boiling water. Cover and steam 4–6 minutes depending on thickness — you want tender but with a little bite. Finish with melted butter, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and flaky salt.
For the Artichokes
- Trim the stem and cut off the top inch of each artichoke. Pull off any tough outer leaves away (and snip the sharp tips if you want to be fancy about it!) Place in a large pot with a steamer basket, add a couple inches of salted water, cover, and steam 35–45 minutes. The artichokes are done when an outer leaf pulls off easily and the base is tender when poked with a knife. Serve drizzled with melted butter and with fresh lemon alongside a small bowl of mayo for dipping the leaves. But the heart at the end is the whole point!
For the Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in a steamer basket over an inch of boiling salted water. Cover and steam 15–20 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a fork. Toss immediately with melted butter, your seasoning of choice, and a squeeze of lemon.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition information: For this recipe use this as a rough guide only as obviously I don't know which options you'll pick or what your favorite seasoning blend is!
Cooking the salmon without a thermometer: When it is cooked it will flake easily with a fork — the center should be slightly translucent when you press it.
Nutrition Information (Approximate)
Calories: 460calProtein: 42gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 236mgPotassium: 2339mgTotal Carbs: 50gFiber: 11gSugar: 4gNet Carbs: 39gVitamin A: 101IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 5mg
https://40aprons.com/favorite-beach-house-dinner-idea-salmon-potatoes-artichoke/