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Salmon with Spanish Ham and Hard Cider

Salmon with Spanish Ham and Hard Cider

By Courtney HillApril 27, 2022

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    25 minutes
  • Rating

Salmón a la ribereña is a classic dish from Asturias, Spain, an area along the northwestern coast famous for its apples and cider. Oven-baking is a common cooking method for fish prepared this way, but here we lightly sear the fillets on one side on the stovetop, then finish them, covered with thin slices of dry-cured ham, in a moderately hot oven. Once the salmon is out of the pan, we make a simple sauce with shallots, hard cider and butter. Opt for jamón serrano, a dry-cured ham from Spain, if you can find it; we find the darker-hued meat to have a richer, more intense flavor than Italian prosciutto, but prosciutto is perfectly delicious (and more affordable). Cooked according to the recipe, the salmon is medium in doneness (120°F), showing just a little translucency at the center; for salmon that is opaque throughout, leave the fillets in the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. To round out the meal, serve with steamed and buttered potatoes and/or a crisp, leafy salad.

Tip

Don’t use sweet (i.e., non-hard) cider for this dish. Look for a dry hard cider with a crispness and acidity that will balance the richness of the salmon and the saltiness of the ham. A good option is Stella Artois Cidre, a widely available European-style hard cider. American hard ciders tend to be sweeter but still will work well.

Ingredients
  • 4

    6-ounce center cut boneless salmon fillets, each about 1 inch thick

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2

    medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced

  • ¾

    cup dry hard cider (see headnote)

  • 2

    ounces thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto

  • 3

    tablespoons salted butter, cut into rough ½-inch cubes

  • ½

    cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle position. Season the salmon all over with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch nonstick oven-safe skillet over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the salmon boned-side down and cook until light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the fillets browned side up to a large plate.

Step 2

Return the skillet to medium and add the shallots, cider and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper, then bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and return the salmon browned side up to the skillet. Cover the fillets with the ham, ruffling the slices to create an uneven surface. Scatter the butter pieces in the skillet, then place in the oven.

Cook until the center of the fillets are slightly translucent and reach 120°F, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the skillet from the oven (the handle will be hot). Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the salmon to individual plates. Bring the cider-shallot mixture to a vigorous simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring, until the butter is emulsified and the sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 3 minutes.

Step 4

Off heat, stir in the parsley, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over and around the salmon, dividing it evenly.