Lunch / Dinner
Salmon Dijonnaise
The Dijon butter sauce for this easy poached salmon fillet will have even finicky fish eaters singing out for more.Poached salmon was once one of those haughty, rarefied meals. With fresh salmon so readily available now, it’s easy to make any night.
Poaching means to gently cook in a simmering liquid — and that’s not the same as boiling. Simmering cooking liquid is just hot enough to bring tiny bubbles to the surface, only about 185°. The poaching liquid for this fish is an herb-infused wine mixture called “court-bouillon.” After poaching the fish, reduce the court-bouillon to a concentrated blend of its sharp essential flavors for the sauce, then smooth it out by adding a little cream and whisking in cold butter.
Ingredients
COMBINE:
ADD:
WHISK IN:
Test Kitchen Tips
Since a side of salmon is likely to be fresher than preportioned fillets, you may want to buy a 1-lb. center-cut skinless fillet. Halve the fillet against the grain, then cut the halves into equal pieces.
Double-check for pin bones along the thickest point of the fillet. If you find any, pull them out with needle-nose pliers or tweezers.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine wine, clam juice, shallots, tarragon sprigs, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt in a large sauté pan. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer 5 minutes.
Add salmon to wine mixture; cover pan and transfer to the oven. Poach salmon 10 minutes. Remove salmon from pan; keep warm while preparing sauce.
Boil poaching liquid until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add cream and boil until thick bubbles appear, 3 minutes; reduce heat to low.
Whisk in butter one piece at a time; as each melts, add another, stirring constantly. Strain the sauce, then stir in chopped tarragon and Dijon. Serve sauce over salmon.
To season the poaching liquid before adding the salmon, let the herbs steep a few minutes.
After poaching, test the salmon for doneness — it should flake easily with a fork.
For a smooth sauce, strain it to remove the seasonings that infused it with flavor; discard the solids.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 456
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 44%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 346mg 14%
Carbs 6g 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 26g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.