Tuscan Salmon with Scallops in Vodka Cream Sauce Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Gather everything before you turn on the stove, because the cooking moves quickly once the sauce is in the pan. Pat the salmon fillets, scallops and shrimp dry with paper towels, then season them lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Keep the seafood in the refrigerator until the skillet is ready, and avoid leaving raw fish or shellfish out at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.

Peel the garlic cloves and leave them whole. Measure the butter, oil and cheese, and grate the hard aged cheese on the box grater over a small plate so it is ready to scatter. Tear the basil leaves by hand just before serving so they stay bright.

Instructions

Warm the garlic butter base

1. 1Prepare the seafood and cheese
   Pat the salmon fillets, scallops and shrimp dry with paper towels, then season them with kosher salt and black pepper. Grate the hard aged cheese over the board with a box grater so it forms a fine pile. Keep the seafood in the refrigerator until the pan is ready.
   Look for Seafood looks moist but not wet, and the cheese forms a light, fluffy pile.
   Tip Dry seafood browns better and keeps the sauce from thinning.

The butter and olive oil should be melted and gently foaming, and the whole garlic cloves should smell sweet and toasty without turning brown. Check the color of the garlic: pale gold is right, and dark brown means the heat is too high. Lower the heat if the butter starts to smoke, then move on to the sauce only when the base is fragrant and the garlic has softened slightly. This base carries the flavor of the whole dish, so it is worth taking the time to warm it gently and evenly across the bottom of the skillet before the sauce goes in.

Simmer the sauce and seafood

2. 2Build the garlic butter base
   Set the cast-iron skillet over medium heat with the olive oil and butter. Add the whole garlic cloves and warm them until the butter melts and the garlic softens and smells fragrant, about 2 minutes.
   Look for Butter foams gently and garlic turns pale gold and fragrant.
   Tip Keep the heat moderate so the garlic flavors the butter without browning.
3. 3Simmer the vodka tomato sauce
   Pour the creamy vodka tomato sauce into the skillet and stir it into the garlic butter. Simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce turns glossy and reduces slightly, about 5 minutes.
   Look for Sauce bubbles softly and coats the back of a spoon in a glossy film.
   Tip Stir often so the cream does not catch on the bottom of the skillet.
4. 4Sear the salmon in the sauce
   Nestle the seasoned salmon fillets into the sauce, skin side up if any skin remains. Simmer gently for about 6 minutes, then add the scallops and shrimp around the fillets and continue simmering until the seafood turns opaque and firm.
   Look for Salmon flakes at the edges, scallops turn opaque, shrimp curl pink.
   Safe temperature 145°F (63°C) internal temperature (fish)
   Tip Spoon sauce over exposed surfaces so the seafood cooks evenly.

The vodka tomato cream sauce should be bubbling softly, glossy, and slightly reduced, coating a spoon in a smooth film. Once the salmon is nestled in, the fillets should begin to firm and flake at the edges. When you add the scallops and shrimp, watch for them to turn opaque and firm, with the shrimp curled pink.

Before moving on, check that the salmon reaches 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point and that the scallops and shrimp are opaque all the way through. If the sauce looks too thick, add a small splash of water to loosen it, then continue simmering.

Finish and serve the skillet

5. 5Finish with cheese and basil
   Sprinkle the grated aged cheese over the salmon, then spoon the sauce over the fillets so they are coated. Let the cheese melt for about 1 minute, then tear the basil leaves over the top and add a final dusting of grated cheese.
   Look for Cheese melts into the sauce and the fillets look glazed and orange.
   Tip Tear the basil by hand so the leaves stay bright and fragrant.
6. 6Serve in the skillet
   Bring the skillet straight to the table and serve the salmon, scallops and shrimp with plenty of sauce spooned over each portion. Add a final pinch of cheese and basil just before serving.
   Look for Sauce stays glossy and the seafood holds its shape.
   Tip Serve with crusty bread to soak up the orange sauce.

The grated cheese should have melted into the sauce and the fillets should look glazed, orange and slightly glossy. The basil should be bright green and freshly torn, and the sauce should still be creamy rather than tight or greasy. Spoon the sauce over the salmon one more time so every surface is coated. Taste the sauce and adjust with a little salt or pepper if needed. Bring the skillet to the table right away so the seafood keeps its tender texture and the sauce stays glossy on the plate.

Common mistakes

The most frequent mistake is cooking the sauce too hard, which makes the cream separate and the tomato turn greasy. Keep the simmer gentle and stir often, especially once the cheese goes in. Another common error is adding the scallops and shrimp too early; they turn rubbery when they sit in simmering liquid for a long time, so wait until the salmon has begun to set.

Skipping the drying step leaves excess moisture on the seafood, which thins the sauce and prevents the fillets from coating well. Finally, do not overcrowd the skillet. If the seafood is packed tightly, it steams unevenly and some pieces stay underdone while others overcook. Use a skillet large enough to hold everything in a single layer.

How to tell it’s done

The dish is done when every part of the seafood is cooked through. The salmon should flake easily with a fork at the thickest point and reach 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The scallops should be opaque and firm all the way through, with no translucent center, and the shrimp should be pink and curled with white flesh.

The sauce should be glossy, slightly reduced, and cling to the back of a spoon without looking watery. If the salmon is still translucent in the center, simmer it a few minutes longer and check again before serving, because fish continues to firm slightly as it rests in the hot skillet.

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