Roast salmon with mustard and tarragon sauce
This fish supper is turned into something special with the addition of bay roast potatoes and a mustard sauce.
Ingredients
For the salmon
- 1 whole salmonÌý
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 30g/1oz unsalted butterÌý
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and slicedÌý
- bunch watercress, to serve
For the roast potatoes
- 200ml/7fl oz olive oilÌý
- 3–4 bay leavesÌý
- 4 garlic cloves, left wholeÌý
- 1 tbsp sea saltÌý
- 400g/14oz small new potatoes, peeled
For the mustard and tarragon sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 banana shallots, chopped
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wineÌý
- 50ml/2fl oz dry vermouth
- 200ml/7fl oz fish stockÌý
- 100ml/3½fl oz double creamÌý
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustardÌý
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh curly parsley
- 1 free-range egg yolkÌý
- lemon juice, to taste
Method
To make the salmon, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Stuff the fish with the bay and lemon slices and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Scatter the fennel slices in a large roasting tray and lay the fish on top. Brush with the olive oil and butter and roast in the oven for 40 minutes.
To make the potatoes, pour the olive oil into a sauce pan and add the bay leaves, garlic cloves, salt, and potatoes. The potatoes need to fit quite snug, they are essentially poached in the olive oil. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the shallots and fry until softened. Add the white wine and reduce, followed by the vermouth. Reduce again, then add the fish stock, and reduce by half. Whisk in the cream, bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, herbs and egg yolk. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
To serve, transfer the salmon to a serving platter. Toss the roast fennel with the watercress and serve with the salmon, bay roast potatoes and sauce on the side.
