COOK'S CLASS

SALMON WITH MUSTARD DILL SAUCE,
CRISP CHIVE AND POTATO CAKES 

Glossy, deep orange salmon trout with a rich smoked flavour makes an excellent, easily managed starter for stylish entertaining. All you need to add are some simple accompaniments such as a sauce and salad to create a glamorous dish.

Our recipe for a piquant, creamy mustard dill sauce has the added advantage of being able to be made in advance. The salad is a delectable combination of fresh beans, mangetout, rocket and toasted pine nuts. To add a hot, crisp note try the chive and potato cakes.

When you have sampled fairly thickly sliced smoked salmon, you will appreciate the change in taste and texture from the more familiar fine slices.

Wet a few paper towels with cold water, lightly squeeze and place over the blanched and refreshed vegetables. This immediately dampens the heat and sets the colour.

Other salad vegetable options: fine green asparagus, sprigs of broccoli blanched and refreshed in cold water or steamed peas. 

Although the leafy salad will be served with the salmon and a rich sauce, it is still necessary to dress it very simply and lightly with olive oil, a dash of white wine vinegar and sea salt.

An alternative to hot potato cakes, is a lightly cooked and chilled mushroom salad. Combine miniature mushrooms, white sliced mushrooms and one exotic style mushroom and toss together with a dash of lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, seasoned with a little dried French tarragon, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Simmer for a minute then cool.

INGREDIENTS:
1 fillet smoked salmon trout (approx. 3x2 cm slices per person)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
200 g fine green beans
100 g mangetout
½ red onion, finely sliced
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
12–16 sprigs rocket
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
MUSTARD DILL SAUCE:
2/3 cup Dijon mustard
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup sour cream
2/3 cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup sugar
sea salt and freshly milled pepper 
2/3 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
(Serves 4)

You will need: grater, chopping board, cook's knife, 2 mixing bowls, frying pan, fish slice/lifter, paper towels, balloon whisk, saucepan

STAGE 1: 
Prepare Mustard Dill Sauce: Mix together all ingredients except oil and dill, add oil slowly then chill for ½ hour.

Place salmon fillet skin side down on a wooden board, using a sharp cook’s knife, cut salmon into approximately two centimetre thick slices and brush with olive oil.

 

STAGE 2: 
Assemble salad ingredients together with rocket leaves in a bowl, toss with olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and pepper.

To serve, arrange three slices of salmon on each plate with a bouquet of salad on the side and either one or two hot potato cakes at the last minute. Spoon a little sauce around the salmon and serve remainder of sauce in a sauceboat.

CRISP POTATO & CHIVE CAKES: 2 large potatoes, peeled and grated coarsely, 1 large egg, ½ onion grated, 2 tbsp finely chopped chives, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix well with a fork or wooden spoon. 

Shape mixture into thin rounds, squeezing out surplus liquid. Gently shallow fry in vegetable oil, heated until hot but not smoking, until golden. Drain on paper towels. Reheat if necessary just before serving. 
Makes about 8.