Gently poached salmon with a velvety cream sauce in which fresh sorrel wilts in seconds. Boiled baby potatoes make it a complete French-inspired main course.
Saumon à l’oseille is all about the contrast between rich fish, creamy sauce and the distinctly fresh flavour of sorrel. The leaves have a lemony, slightly sharp taste that’s different from spinach. They wilt almost immediately in the pan, which is why they’re added to the sauce right at the end. This keeps their fresh character noticeable and prevents the cream from becoming heavy or flat. Fresh sorrel is often easiest to find in spring and early summer, but availability varies from shop to shop and by season.
Gently poaching keeps the salmon juicy and gives the sauce room to shine. The water doesn’t need to boil hard: a few small bubbles around the edge are enough. If it bubbles vigorously, the fish pieces move around constantly, and the outsides can dry out before the middle is cooked. The exact timing depends on the thickness of the fillets; after eight minutes, check whether the fish flakes easily and is no longer translucent inside. A wide pan makes it easier to lay the pieces side by side.
For the sauce, the shallot and white wine are reduced first, concentrating the wine flavour and keeping the cream from becoming watery. Then let the cream thicken gently, but add the sorrel only once the pan is off the heat or over very low heat. Cooking it for too long makes the sauce less fresh. Use a dry white wine that you’d also enjoy drinking with the meal. If you don’t want to use wine, you can use the same amount of fish stock; the sauce will be a little milder and less sharp.
Fresh sorrel is key here. If you can’t find any, a combination of young spinach and a small splash of lemon juice makes a practical substitute, although the sauce will lack sorrel’s distinctive green sharpness. Add the lemon a little at a time and taste before adding more. Serve with boiled baby potatoes, which soak up the cream sauce nicely, or with steamed young vegetables such as asparagus or haricots verts. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container and use within two days; reheat the fish and sauce gently, without letting the sauce boil.
Scrub the baby potatoes clean. Put them in a pan with about 1 litre water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain and keep warm.
Put the remaining 500 ml water, bay leaf and remaining teaspoon of salt in a wide pan. Bring almost to a simmer; the water should be hot but not bubbling. Add the salmon and poach for 8–10 minutes, depending on thickness, until just cooked through. Carefully lift the pieces out of the pan and let them drain.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes until translucent, without letting it brown.
Pour in the white wine and reduce for 3–4 minutes, until about half remains. Add the heavy cream and simmer gently for 4–5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with black pepper.
Take the pan off the heat and stir the sorrel into the sauce. Let the leaves wilt briefly and taste; add a little more salt if needed. Serve the salmon immediately with the sauce and warm baby potatoes.
Main courseSweet corn, a splash of cream and a squeeze of lime make a hearty soup with both tender and whole kernels. Crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and chili oil bring freshness, heat and crunch to every bowl.
Main courseA hearty bowl of tender pearl barley, sweet cumin-roasted carrots and golden-brown chickpeas. The fresh sauce of herbs, lemon and tahini brings it all together, while toasted sesame adds a little crunch.
Main courseGolden brown and crisp at the edges, soft inside: these courgette and corn fritters get a fresh lift from lime yogurt and a little heat from chili oil. Serve them as a main course with a crunchy salad.