Harissa does the heavy lifting here. A good harissa paste — especially rose harissa — brings heat, depth, and floral notes that transform salmon from a weeknight staple into something that feels considered. The herb yogurt is bright and cooling, and together they hit every register: bold, fresh, creamy, crisp. Make the yogurt an hour ahead and the dinner itself takes six minutes.
Method
Marinate the salmon
Mix harissa and olive oil together with a pinch of salt. Coat the salmon fillets — both sides — and let them sit at room temperature while you make the yogurt. Even 10 minutes makes a difference.
Make the herb yogurt
Very finely chop the herbs — or blitz briefly in a small food processor — and stir into the yogurt with grated garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Taste and adjust. The yogurt should be intensely herby. This can be made hours ahead; it only gets better.
Get the pan screaming hot
Heat a heavy pan (cast iron or stainless) over high heat until very hot — about 2 minutes. You don't need oil; the salmon will render its own fat. Place salmon skin-side down. Press gently with a spatula for 10 seconds so the skin stays in full contact with the pan and doesn't curl.
Don't use a non-stick pan here — you want serious heat for the crust.
Cook and flip once
Cook 4 minutes on the skin side without moving. Flip once. Cook 1–2 minutes more. The centre should still be a little rosy — it keeps cooking after you plate it. Opaque all the way through means overcooked.
Plate generously
Spread a generous pool of herb yogurt over each plate. Place salmon on top, skin-side up if you want to preserve the crispiness. Serve immediately.
Mike's notes
Rose harissa (often sold as a jar by brands like Belazu) has a different quality to the paste in tubes — more floral, less one-dimensional heat. Worth seeking out if you can find it.
Serve alongside roasted chickpeas, warm flatbread, or just a simple green salad. The yogurt sauce is also excellent as a dip the next day.