Tuscan Salmon and Scallops in Vodka Cream Skillet Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Gather everything before you turn on the stove, since the sauce comes together quickly once the garlic is softened. Cut the salmon into four portions of similar thickness and pat them dry. Pat the sea scallops dry with paper towels as well, and set both on a plate in the refrigerator until you need them. Grate the Parmesan on a box grater into a fine mound and divide it into two portions, one for the sauce and one for finishing.

Pick the basil leaves from their stems and set them aside on a clean board. Measure the tomato sauce, vodka, heavy cream and dried Italian herbs, and keep the raw seafood chilled until the moment you place it in the skillet. Working this way keeps the seafood cold and dry, which gives you the cleanest sear and the best texture.

Instructions

Soften the garlic and build the sauce

1. 1Prepare the seafood
   Cut the salmon into four portions. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season the salmon and scallops lightly with salt and pepper. Set them aside on a plate in the refrigerator until the skillet is ready.
   Look for Scallops look dry and matte, not wet or shiny, before they go into the pan.
   Tip Dry scallops brown better and release less liquid into the sauce.
2. 2Grate the Parmesan
   Grate the Parmesan on a box grater into a fine mound. Measure out the portion for the sauce and keep the rest aside for finishing the dish.
   Look for Fine golden shreds should pile up loosely on the board.
   Tip Freshly grated Parmesan melts smoothly into cream sauces.
3. 3Slice the garlic and basil
   Keep the garlic cloves whole and pick the basil leaves from their stems. Set them beside the skillet so they are ready to add and to garnish.
   Look for Basil leaves are bright green, whole and free of stems.
   Tip Tear basil by hand at the end to keep its aroma fresh.

The butter should be fully melted and the whole garlic cloves should look pale golden and smell fragrant, with no dark spots. Pour in the vodka and let it bubble briefly until the sharp alcohol smell fades. Then add the tomato sauce and heavy cream and stir with a wooden spoon.

The sauce should turn smooth and rosy-orange, with no streaks of cream left and no visible grease separating on the surface. If the sauce looks grainy or thin, keep stirring over medium heat for another minute before moving on to the seafood, so the base is glossy and ready to hold the fish and scallops.

Simmer the salmon and scallops

4. 4Soften the garlic in butter
   Melt the butter in the cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the whole garlic cloves and cook, turning them occasionally, until they soften and smell fragrant, about 2 minutes.
   Look for Butter foams and fades, and garlic turns pale golden and fragrant.
   Tip Keep the heat moderate so the garlic softens without browning.
5. 5Build the tomato vodka cream
   Pour in the vodka and let it bubble for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce and heavy cream, then stir with a wooden spoon until the sauce is smooth and rosy-orange. Stir in the dried Italian herbs and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
   Look for The sauce turns smooth, glossy and rosy-orange, with no streaks of cream left.
   Tip Stir constantly when the cream first goes in to prevent scorching at the base.
6. 6Nestle in the salmon and scallops
   Lay the salmon portions and scallops into the bubbling sauce, spooning sauce over the top. Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and the scallops are opaque all the way through.
   Look for Salmon flakes with a fork and scallops turn opaque white, and the sauce thickens around them.
   Safe temperature 145°F (63°C) internal temperature (fish)
   Tip Spoon the sauce over the seafood so the top cooks evenly.

After six to eight minutes of gentle simmering, the salmon should flake easily when pressed with a fork and the scallops should be opaque white all the way through, with no translucent centers. The sauce should have thickened slightly and cling to the seafood. Lift one scallop to check the middle, and make sure the salmon reaches 145°F (63°C) at its thickest part. If the sauce looks too thick, add a splash of water or a little more cream, and keep the heat low so the seafood stays moist and tender.

Finish and serve from the skillet

7. 7Finish with Parmesan and herbs
   Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the seafood and a final pinch of dried Italian herbs. Let the cheese melt for about 1 minute, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
   Look for Cheese melts into the sauce and the top looks glossy and golden.
   Tip Taste the sauce before adding more salt, since the Parmesan is already salty.
8. 8Garnish and serve from the skillet
   Scatter fresh basil leaves over the dish and finish with a last sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve straight from the skillet, lifting the salmon and scallops gently with tongs onto each plate.
   Look for Basil stays bright green against the rosy sauce and the seafood looks creamy.
   Tip Serve immediately while the sauce is still hot and glossy.

The Parmesan on top should melt into a golden, glossy layer over the seafood, and the basil should look bright green against the rosy sauce. Taste the sauce before adding salt, since Parmesan is already salty, and adjust the pepper to your liking. The dish is ready when the seafood is hot, the sauce is creamy and the garnish is fresh. Serve straight from the skillet while everything is still bubbling, lifting the portions gently with tongs so they stay whole and coated with sauce.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is adding the seafood to a sauce that is not yet hot and smooth. If the cream has not come together first, the sauce can look grainy and the fish will sit in a thin liquid instead of a glossy coating. Another mistake is overcooking the scallops. They turn rubbery in only a minute or two past opaque, so check them early and pull the skillet off the heat as soon as they are set.

Crowding the pan with too many portions also lowers the temperature and makes the sauce boil unevenly; use a 12-inch skillet and arrange the pieces in a single layer. Finally, do not skip patting the scallops dry, because surface water dilutes the sauce and prevents a clean edge from forming.

How to tell it’s done

The dish is done when the salmon flakes easily with a fork and the scallops are opaque white all the way through, with no glassy center. For food safety, the salmon should reach at least 145°F (63°C) at its thickest part, and the scallops should be opaque throughout, which means they have also reached that temperature.

The sauce should be smooth, glossy and rosy-orange, with a spoonable thickness that coats the back of the spoon. If the sauce is still thin, let it simmer uncovered for another minute or two before serving, keeping the heat moderate so the seafood stays tender.

• Fish: 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part
• Shellfish: 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part