Salmon with avocado sauce

Hollandaise sauce is a useful way of bolstering a salmon steak.  Add to that some avocado and the

result is stunning.  Some juniper provides an interesting contrast to the flavour of the salmon.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 25 Mins

Total Time: 50 Mins

Ingredients

For 2 portions

4                    Basil leaves

6                    Juniper berries  - crushed       

                      Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

2 steaks           Salmon     

½ tsp             Salt          

4 tbs               Vermouth  - dry white

For the avacado sauce

½                   Avocado    

80 gms            Butter       

2 tbs               Cream  - double, beaten until stiff          

2                    Egg yolks   

1½ tbs            Lemon juice            

1 pinch            Salt          

½ tsp             Sugar  - caster        

1 tbs               Vinegar  - white wine 

Method

To cook the salmon…

Thoroughly butter 2 double thickness of aluminium foil and place a salmon steak on each one. Sprinkle each with half the salt and a good grinding of pepper.  Add to each one half juniper berries, basil leaves and vermouth.  Make each piece of foil into a loose but firmly sealed parcel and place in an oven preheated to 190°C. for 15 minutes.

To make the avocado sauce…

 Make a quick Hollandaise sauce by blending in a food processor the egg yolks with the sugar and a pinch of salt.  Bring to the boil the lemon juice and vinegar in one pan while melting 6oz unsalted butter in another pan.  Pour the boiling lemon juice mixture over the egg yolks with the food processor turned on.  Then, with the machine again running, pour in the hot melted butter, leaving behind the milky residue.  Scoop out the flesh from the avocado.  Add to the hollandaise and process until amalgamated.

 Turn into a bain-marie and stir in the cream.  Keep stirring until the mixture is warmed through.

To serve…

Put a layer of the avocado sauce on each plate and turn out the steaks on to this.

Wine recommendations

Conventional

     Côte Chalonnaise blanc

Interesting

     Chinon blanc

     Côtes de Gascogne blanc

     Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet blanc