Equipment
Ingredients
Salmon
- 300 g salmon fillet, skin-on
- 15 ml olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
Sorrel Sauce
- 50 g fresh sorrel, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 20 g shallot, finely minced
- 15 g unsalted butter
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Remove the salmon fillets from the refrigerator. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and sweat until translucent and fragrant, without letting it take on any color.
Pour the dry white wine into the saucepan with the shallots. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the liquid bubble rapidly until it has almost completely evaporated.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently until the sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Remove the saucepan from the heat completely.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully place the salmon fillets skin-side down. Press down gently with a fish spatula for 10 seconds to prevent the fish from curling. Cook undisturbed until the skin is deeply golden and crisp, and the flesh turns opaque about two-thirds of the way up.
Flip the salmon and kiss the flesh side to the pan for just 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the skillet and let the fish rest on a warm plate. The residual heat will continue cooking the center to a perfect medium at 52C/125F.
Ensure the cream sauce is entirely off the heat. Fold in the freshly chopped sorrel. Stir constantly for about 10 seconds until the sorrel wilts and melts into the sauce, releasing its tart flavor while maintaining a vivid green hue.
Pool the warm sorrel sauce in the center of two warmed plates. Gently place a rested salmon fillet on top of the sauce, skin-side up, to maintain the crispy texture. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Patting the salmon skin perfectly dry and leaving it uncovered in the fridge for an hour before cooking guarantees an exceptionally crispy skin.
- Sorrel is highly acidic and delicate. It melts almost instantly when introduced to warmth. Folding it into the sauce off the heat preserves its vibrant spring green hue and fresh bite.
- Heavy cream is essential here; lighter creams, half-and-half, or milk will immediately curdle when they interact with the acidity of the wine and the sorrel.
- If using a stainless steel pan to sear the salmon, pressing down gently on the fillet with a spatula for the first 10 seconds is crucial to prevent the skin from curling away from the pan's heat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store sauce and salmon separately. Reheat fish gently to prevent drying out.
Reheating: Warm salmon gently in an oven at 120C. Warm sauce over a double boiler, taking care not to simmer or the sorrel will discolor.
