Herbed Salmon with Garlic Cream Sauce

I know I said I hate to repeat recipes, but this is a family classic and whenever we're near decent salmon, this is (invariably) what we want to eat. For ten years, 'Lissa and I lived on the west coast of Canada...close to an abundant supply of great fish. Now, we're landlocked in northern New Mexico, so we don't get to cook this that often. Whatever, if you can get the salmon, you must, must, must cook this Nigel classic.

Name:
Herbed Salmon with Garlic Cream Sauce

Book:
Nigel Slater, The Thirty-Minute Cook (Penguin, London, 1994)

Date(s) cooked:
19th August, 2001/ 27th October, 2004/ 16 May, 2007/21st February 2005/21st October 2009/21st November 2001/11th March 2005/28th August 2007/8th February 2007/12th June 2004/25th June 2010/10th June 2004/10th March 2007/6th October 2008/22nd March 2009/8th May 2008.


Comments:
"Use the tail of nice piece of sockeye which I started (but couldn't be bothered to finish) filleting. Had just moved to Pearson College and so didn't have heaps of fresh herbs and so resorted to dried dill, chives, tarragon and thyme (marcapone used in sauce). Lissa raved and marscapone was definitely the guilding of the lily pad".



"Made again with basil, parsely and tarragon."



"Made camping at Port Renfrew on holiday from UWC-USA with Jenny and Dave. Excellent as always."



"Supper with Tessa."



"Again with green beans, almondine and basmati rice."



"Again for Dick and Antoinette."



"Again with sockeye and marscapone and basil from Trader Joe's in Santa Fe."



"Just basil with Delia rice."



"Again."



"Again."



"Again."



"Again."



"Made with rocket, basil, parsley and fennel from garden."

Recipe:

450g/1 lb salmon fillets
6 tablespoons chopped herbs tarragon, basil, dill, parsley, chervil
5g/20z butter
1 clove garlic squashed flat
4 tablespoons creme freche, double cream or marscapone
lemon juice

Cut the salmon fillets into pieces across their width, about 4cm/1.5" wide. Scatter the chopped herbs on a plate and roll the salmon pieces in them, pressing down on them to make them adhere to the fish.


Melt the butter in a shallow pan over a medium heat and add the garlic. When the butter starts to foam, place the herbed fingers of fish into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or just until the fish becomes opaque. By now the butter will be slightly brown in parts and fizzing wildly. Stir in the creme, cream or whatever and leave to melt in the butter. Season with black pepper and add salt if you wish.

Just before you scoop the fish out of the pan squeeze a little lemon juice into the juice. It will lift the flavour and prevent the sauce from becoming cloying.