Salmon w/ Snap Peas, Bacon & Mint

By Realtychick

Ingredients

• 4 king salmon steaks or fillets with skin (6 to 8 oz. each, of roughly equal size), bones removed
• 1/4 About 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 About 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2- by 2-in. strips
• 2 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1/3 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
• 1 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed (snap each pea's stem and pull down sharply along the straight side)
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves, divided

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Sprinkle salmon with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until it ripples. Add salmon (skin side down if using fillets). Reduce heat to medium-low and cook without moving fish until it is about half-cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes more for medium-rare to medium. Transfer fish to a plate (skin side up for fillets); tent with foil.

Increase heat to medium-high and cook bacon, stirring, until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 tsp. fat from pan.

Return pan to heat, add shallot, and sauté 1 minute. Add crème fraîche, snap peas, and half the mint; cook, tossing peas, just until they're glossy and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon snap peas onto a rimmed platter, set salmon on top (skin side down for fillets), and sprinkle with bacon and remaining mint.