Step 1

Allow the fish to come to room temperature before pan frying.

Step 2

Pat the salmon dry and season all over with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Coat the cast iron skillet well in olive oil, then heat it to medium high. The oil should be shimmering before you add the fish.

Step 4

Place the salmon, skin side down and reduce heat to medium low. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and a squirt of lemon juice.

Step 5

Allow the fish to fry skin side down, undisturbed, until it becomes crispy (about 5 minutes for an inch thick filet). If you find the filets are buckling, you can press down on them firmly with a fish spatula.

Step 6

When the skin is crispy and the sides of the salmon filet turns from a translucent pink to opaque lighter colour from the bottom up to the top, flip the fish over and cook the rest of the way. The skin should release nicely from the pan at this point.

Step 7

Cook for another minute, until the salmon reaches medium rare (120 F) or medium (125 F to 130F) when a thermometer is inserted into the middle of the thickest part of the filet.