Dry your salmon filets thoroughly with paper towels. I cannot stress enough the importance of drying your salmon filets before cooking them. It can make the difference between a really good sear and fish that looks kinda drab and steamed. Pat, pat, pat. Then rub a bit of olive oil all over them and season all sides with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron pan heated to medium-high heat. Add salmon to the pan and don’t touch it for 3-4 minutes, or until you look at the side of a filet and see the cooked portion seeping up the sides almost halfway. Flip your filets over (they should easily release from the pan when they’re ready to turn) and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the two cooked halves almost meet on the sides. You don’t want the fish to look completely cooked, or it will be dry after you rest it. It will sit in the sauce for a few minutes at the end. Give it some cooking space, okay? Remove your salmon from the pan and place on a plate to rest while you work on your sauce.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add your shallots to the pan and cook for a few minutes, or until they start to look translucent (you know, not raw-ish). Add the garlic and stir for literally just a few seconds (garlic burns quickly). Pour in the half and half and add your mascarpone and stir until all the cheese has melted and incorporated. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and continue stirring. Turn the heat to low and add the lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and the herbs. Stir well. Take a taste and adjust for any salt you may want. If the sauce is a bit thick, you can add more half and half.

Nestle your salmon filets in the pan and allow to sit for a few minutes. This will let the salmon finish cooking and absorb some of the amazing flavor you developed in the sauce. Serve the salmon with sauce drizzled over the top and garnish with the remaining herbs. This fish would be great with a simple side of vegetables (I made my favorite roasted brussels sprouts) or even with pasta tossed with olive oil. You might even be tempted to put it in a bowl and eat it like a salmon soup, it’s that good 😋