What to do when the fish dies and you can't release it.
Baked Salmon with Watercress Sauce
from the Williams Sonoma Seafood Cookbook
Salmon season on Monterey Bay has just opened, so here's a tasty way to celebrate it!
Baked Salmon with Watercress Sauce
from the Williams Sonoma Seafood Cookbook
Salmon season on Monterey Bay has just opened, so here's a tasty way to celebrate it!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 bunch watercress, stemmed,
4 sprigs reserved for garnish
1 cup packed spinach leaves
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 salmon fillets, 6-8 oz each, pin bones removed
extra-virgin olive oil for coating
To make the sauce:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallot and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour to make a roux, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes; do not let the mixture color. Stir in the watercress and spinach until wilted. Add the stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pan and add sea salt and white pepper to taste. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
The fish:
Lightly coat a large ovenproof saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the salmon, top side down, and sear for 2 minutes. Turn the salmon over and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the salmon for exactly 8 minutes; it should still be translucent in the center of the thickest part.
Just before the salmon is done, reheat the sauce over low heat until warm, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the salmon to warmed plates. Spoon one-fourth of the sauce onto each plate and place a fillet on top, or spoon the sauce over the center of each fillet, allowing the ends to show and the sauce to pool on the plate. Garnish each fillet with a watercress sprig and serve immediately.