Parcel-poached salmon with herby mayonnaise
- 2 salmon fillets, about 1½ kg/3lb 5oz each
- olive oil, for greasing
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 bunch dill, chopped
- small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 6 tbsp white wine
For the mayonnaise
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 450ml rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 6 tbsp herbs, such as chervil, chives, dill, parsley and tarragon, finely chopped
To serve
- 1 cucumber, sliced into long thin strips with a potato peeler
- chopped dill
- lemon cheeks
-
Cooking time
Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 1 hr
Skill level
Moderately easy
Servings
Serves 10 - 12
- The salmon fillets need to be skinless
and boneless, so if you can’t get your
fishmonger to do it, you’ll need to do it
yourself: to remove the pin bones, stroke
your hand along the flesh side of the
fillets and use tweezers or pliers to pull
out any bones you come across. Then,
to remove the skin, you’ll need a very
sharp knife, preferably a filleting knife.
Take each fillet in turn and place skin
-side down on the board with the
narrowest end facing you. Slide your
knife in between the skin and the flesh
from the tail end, and wiggle your knife
to loosen and pull away the skin.
Firmly take hold of the tail skin you have
loosened and, working away from
yourself, cut along the length of the fish,
while moving the knife side to side.
Keep the blade of your knife as flat
and close to the skin as possible so
as not to leave any flesh on the skin.
Repeat with the second fillet.
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Take a very large sheet of extra-wide
foil (turkey foil works well), and lightly
brush with olive oil. Place one salmon
fillet on the foil and scatter over the
sliced lemons, dill and half the fennel,
and season generously. Place the
second salmon fillet on top, domed
side up. Season and drizzle with
the wine.
- Top with a second sheet of greased
foil and fold up the edges to enclose the
salmon in a parcel. Make the parcel quite
loose so there is room for the steam. Lift
onto a large baking tray and cook for 1 hr
then remove and allow to rest in the foil
for 10 mins.
- While the salmon cooks, make the
mayonnaise. Place the yolks and the
mustard in a medium bowl, adding a
pinch of salt, if you like. Pour the oil into
a jug as you will need a controlled steady
stream. Briefly whisk the eggs and start
to drizzle on the oil very slowly, starting
with a few drips at a time while
continuously whisking.
- Continue adding the oil. When the
mayonnaise starts to come together, you
can add the oil slightly quicker. Continue
until all the oil has been added. If the
mayonnaise curdles at any point, you can
rescue it by cracking another yolk into a
clean bowl and whisking the curdled
mayonnaise into the fresh egg. Continue
doing this then add any remaining oil.
- When your mayonnaise is made,
slowly stir in the vinegar and enough
of the lemon juice to your taste – add
more if you like it quite lemony. Season
with salt and pepper, and stir in the
chopped herbs. Keep chilled until the
salmon is ready.
- Mix the cucumber with some of the
dill and the rest of the fennel. When
the salmon has rested, cut the foil open
and use two fish slices to carefully
transfer the fish to a long serving platter.
Sprinkle with the dill and garnish with
lemon cheeks. Serve with the herby
mayonnaise and cucumber salad.
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