Crispy-Skin Salmon with Lemon-Caper Piccata Sauce and Braised Fennel and Greens

Ingredients

1. 4 piece skin-on salmon fillets, 150–180 g each, pin-boned and scaled
2. 0.75 tsp fine sea salt and black pepper
3. 1 tbsp ghee or avocado oil
4. 1 piece small organic shallot, minced
5. 80 ml dry white wine
6. 120 ml organic fish or chicken stock
7. 2 tbsp organic lemon juice and 1 tbsp capers
8. 45 g cold organic butter, cubed
9. 1 tbsp organic parsley, chopped
10. 2 piece organic fennel bulbs (about 400 g), cut in wedges
11. 1 tbsp olive oil, 60 ml water or stock, salt
12. 150 g organic baby spinach or chard
13. 1 pinch fennel fronds and lemon zest

Step-by-step method

1. Salt the fish. Pat the fillets bone-dry, especially the skin. Salt the flesh and the skin and rest on paper towels 15 minutes at room temperature.
2. Braise the fennel. Heat oil in a wide lidded pan over medium. Brown the fennel wedges 3–4 minutes per side, add water and salt, cover, and simmer 8–10 minutes until tender. Uncover and reduce any liquid. Fold in the greens until just wilted. Keep warm.
3. Start the salmon in a cold-ish pan. Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned stainless pan over medium-high, add ghee. Lay the fillets skin-side down and immediately press down gently with a spatula for 20 seconds to keep the skin flat.
4. Cook 80 % through on the skin side. Reduce to medium and cook 5–6 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp and the flesh has turned opaque about three-quarters up the sides. Do not move it.
5. Flip for 30–60 seconds only, to kiss the top. Check temperature: 46–50 °C (115–122 °F) at the thickest part for a tender, just-opaque centre (rests to 52 °C). Move to a plate, skin up.
6. Piccata sauce. Pour off all but 1 tsp fat. Add the shallot for 30 seconds, add the wine and reduce by half; add stock and lemon and reduce by half again. Off the heat, swirl in the cold butter cube by cube, then capers and parsley.
7. Plate fennel and greens, fillets on top skin-up, sauce around the plate (not on the skin).

Variations

• Weigh substitutions and recalculate nutrition before serving.

Storage

Best served fresh. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within two days.

Questions and answers