Background:

Had to cook dinner for myself this CNY, since everyone's off in Malaysia. Happened to have the terragon in preparation for a bouquet garni-based dish for tomorrow, and bought the salmon while shopping for chicken breasts for Brownie.

The materials:

Salmon fillet, at least 1" thick
Shallots, peeled and sliced thickly
Fresh terragon
Fresh parsley (optional - just a sprig of it will do)

For toppings:

Plain honey
Tabasco sauce
Fresh ground pepper
Cooking wine (Chinese cooking wine is fine)

The method:

1. Prepare the salmon by rubbing with salt, and washing the salt off.
   
2. Grease a shallow pan, and heat at high heat for a minute or so, then add the sprig of parsley.
   
3. Turn the heat to the LOWEST POSSIBLE. This is very important!!
4. Sauté the salmon fillet under low heat, until more than half the thickness turns the usual powdery pink colour.
   
5. Add sliced shallots and fresh terragon sprigs to the side of the pan, leave until shallots are soft.
   
6. To cook the side of the salmon that has skin on it without damaging the skin, remove the fillet temporarily from the pan. Spread the shallots out in a thin layer over the pan, then flip the fillet over and cook - still at low head - skin-down.
   
   
7. Test for doneness at the thickest portion of the fillet, place on dish with shallots scooped onto the top.
   
8. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of tabasco, 1/2 teaspoon of wine and a dash of freshly-ground pepper.
   
9. Serve warm with a sprig of terragon and side dish (I used fish fingers) for garnish*

*Note: If you intend to eat the fresh terragon later, make sure you strip the stem off and eat only the leaves - the stem's flavour can become overpowered easily.

Posted by R. on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at 7:09 AM | Permalink