Baked salmon with spinach sauce

This dish originates from Northern Ireland.  In the recipe, the salmon is cooked in a parcel and so remains moist.  It is accompanied by a green spinach which goes perfectly with the salmon.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 25 Mins

Total Time: 35 Mins

Ingredients

680 gms          Salmon     

  Pepper          

  Salt              

30 gms            Butter       

1 sprig            Fennel      

For the sauce

110 ml             Cream       

70 gms            Butter       

110 gms          Spinach     

To serve

  Potatoes  - new, buttered   

Method

Season the fish well and place on a piece of kitchen foil.  Dot with butter and wrap in a parcel with the fennel.  Bake in a moderate oven (180°C) for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the spinach sauce.

When the salmon is cooked, remove it from the foil parcel and place on a warmed serving dish.  Stir the fish cooking juices into the spinach sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.  Serve immediately with buttered new potatoes and hand the sauce separately.

To make the sauce…

Pour the cream into a frying-pan and boil down to about ½ tablespoon.  Add the butter carefully in small pieces, stirring well to make a sauce.

Cook the spinach in a little unsalted water for 5 minutes.  Drain it well, dry it and chop roughly.  Stir the spinach into the sauce.

Variations

Trout or salmon trout can be prepared in the same way.

Wine recommendations

A robust white wine.

Conventional

     Côtes du Rhône blanc or rosé

Interesting

     Côtes du Rhône Villages Sablet blanc

     Crozes Hermitage blanc