This is one fish dish that’s hard to mess up
Use good, wild salmon and make sure not to overcook it
A good piece of fish needs very little to make it perfect. Here, the brisk, anisey-tangy flavour of tarragon vinaigrette is a wonderful complement to the lushness of salmon filets.
If you start with excellent salmon and super fresh herbs and don’t overcook the fish, you cannot mess this up. It’s a less-is-more dish.
The mix of orange and lemon juices in the vinaigrette provides a nice balance of sweetness and tanginess.
If you are in possession of a Meyer lemon, you could use 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of that juice in place of the mix and get similar results. Not exactly the same, but something else wonderful.
I love starting fish in a pan (make sure your fish is fairly thick, about 1-inch/2.5 cm or even thicker) and then transferring it to a stove to finish cooking. Here are the three main reasons why:
1) You can use the oven to cook something else to go with the fish, whether it’s roasted potatoes or other vegetables.
2) If you are cooking the fish with the skin on, you can get that pan screaming hot before you add the fish, and when the skin hits the pan it starts to crisp up immediately. It then stays crisp and delicious and great to eat. Soft fish skin: not good. Crisp fish skin: a fabulous counterpoint to a well-cooked, soft, delicate fish.
3) Perhaps best of all: You don’t have to flip the fish, which even for the most confident and experienced cooks doesn’t always end well.
Salmon is available everywhere because it’s so good and so popular. If you can get wild salmon, do yourself (and the environment) a favour and buy it.
It has a more pronounced flavour than farm-raised does, so you’re getting the full salmon experience.
Serve this with rice and a green salad, or a whole-grain salad mixed with some fresh or roasted vegetables.
Salmon with Tarragon Vinaigrette
Serves: 4
For the Salmon
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, plus more for brushing
4 6-oz (170-g) fillets of salmon, 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, skin on if desired
Salt and pepper for tasting
For the Tarragon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh orange juice 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh tarragon leaves
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced shallots 1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard Coarse or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Heat a heavy, ovenproof skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the olive oil.
Brush some olive oil over each piece of salmon, and season with salt and pepper.
Add the salmon to the pan, skin side down (if relevant). Allow to sear,
without moving, in the pan for about 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven and roast for 5 to 8 minutes, until done to your liking.
While the salmon is cooking, in a small container combine the 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, tarragon, shallots, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Shake to combine.
Transfer the fish to a serving platter or individual plates.
Shake the vinaigrette to remix it, and then pour it over the fish. Serve hot or warm.