SALMON EN PAPILLOTE WITH SALT POTATOES + A LEMON SABAYON

Wait, wait... don't run away just yet! - Don't worry I am not going all poncy and French on you.
I've got a little treat up my sleeve for you. You can thank me later ;)

So here it goes: If you want to impress some dinner guests with a meal that looks much more complicated and fancy than it is and tastes like a million dollars you have got yourself a winner with this recipe.

You've probably guessed that I spend my Saturday mornings watching Saturday Kitchen while sipping on the first coffee of many. One of my favourite parts of the show is Raymond Blanc: How to cook well. The other day he made this beautiful poached trout with a lemon and white wine sabayon and I thought to myself - yep I can do this.

The salmon takes a max of twenty minutes and the tangy creamy sauce brings the tender fish, waxy potatoes and peppery watercress together beautifully. Serve with ice cold sparkling wine, preferably in the back garden and watch the sun set while you do so.

Enjoy!

Etta xo
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Print recipe

SERVES 4
PREPARATION 5mins
COOKS 30mins

INGREDIENTS

• 4 salmon fillets
• 12 lemon slices
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the sabayon

• 3 free-range egg yolks
• 50 g unsalted butter, melted
• 2tsp lemon juice
• pinch sea salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 4tbsps water
• handfull dill, finely chopped

For the salad

• 12 baby salad potatoes
• watercress
• juice of 1 lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

 PREPARATION METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190˚C.
2. Add the potatoes to a large saucepan with about two teaspoons of salt. Cover with cold water and place onto a high heat. Once they start boiling, cook for ten minutes (or until cooked). Drain and leave to cool. Once cold, slice.
3. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place each piece onto baking paper large enough to cover all ingredients (approx. 30-40cm square). Drizzle with some olive oil and place the sliced lemon on top. Fold the paper over the fish and double-fold each edge to make a sealed parcel.
4. Place the parcels onto a baking tray and then into the pre-heated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, for the lemon sabayon, sit a large stainless steel bowl on top of a saucepan of boiling water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water).
   
6. Place the egg yolks and four tablespoons of water into the bowl and whisk vigorously for 5-6 minutes, or until the egg yolks are pale and foamy (they should be 6-7 times their original volume). Continue whisking for another 2-3 minutes, then slowly pour the melted butter into the sabayon and whisk briefly. Season to taste, with the salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice.
   
7. To serve, distribute the water cress between four plates, drizzle with a little lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with the sliced potatoes and salmon. Be careful as the salmon is pretty fragile. Don't worry about the skin sticking to the baking paper. I find this the easiest way to remove it form the fish.
8. Drizzle everything with the sabayon and sprinkle some fresh dill on top.