August cherry tomatoes are at their best for roughly two weeks, and they collapse into sauce faster than anything you can buy in a jar. Sear the salmon until the skin is deep golden, rest it while the tomatoes go in and burst in the same fat, then return the fish to warm through. The sauce is loose and bright — nothing thickened, nothing added except a knob of butter and fresh basil at the end.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Scale

Method

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with three-quarters of the salt and all of the pepper.
2 min
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it shimmers. Lay the salmon skin-side down, pressing each fillet lightly for the first 30 seconds so the skin stays flat against the pan. Cook undisturbed until the skin is deep golden and the flesh has turned opaque about two-thirds up the side, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more, until the fish registers 145 °F / 63 °C at its thickest point. Transfer to a plate.
8 min
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the same skillet and stir for 30 seconds — the garlic should smell toasty but not brown. Tip in the cherry tomatoes and the remaining quarter-teaspoon of salt. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally and pressing a few tomatoes against the side with a spoon, until they burst and release their juices, 6 to 7 minutes.
8 min
Pour in the wine and let it bubble until the sauce tightens slightly, about 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and swirl in the butter until it melts. Scatter the basil over the top, then nestle the salmon back in skin-side up and let it sit in the sauce for a minute before serving.
2 min

Substitutions

Salmon — Thick cod or halibut fillets. Add 2 to 3 minutes on the first side; the flesh will be white and opaque all the way through when done.
White wine — Chicken stock or vegetable stock, same quantity. The sauce will be a little rounder and less sharp.
Cherry tomatoes — Any small tomato halved, or one large tomato cut into 1-inch chunks. Larger pieces take a couple of minutes longer to break down.
Fresh basil — Flat-leaf parsley or tarragon. Add either at the very end, off the heat.

Storing leftovers

Keeps 2 days refrigerated. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water, or serve cold over dressed greens — the microwave dries salmon out quickly.

Questions

Can I use skinless salmon fillets?

Yes. Without skin the first side cooks faster, so start checking at 3 to 4 minutes rather than 5. The fillet is also more fragile to flip — use a thin spatula and work from the thinner tail end inward.

My tomatoes released very little juice. What should I do?

Press a few firmly against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon to burst them deliberately. If the tomatoes are genuinely dry, add 3 tablespoons of water to get the sauce started.

How do I tell the salmon is done without a thermometer?

Press the thickest part with a fingertip — cooked salmon feels firm but gives slightly, not soft and raw. The flesh should also flake cleanly when you pull at it with a fork.