Salmon With Caper Sauce

You could grill the salmon for this dish, or cook it on the barbecue, but I prefer to use one of those ridged skillets that keep the fish out of its cooking juices.

Four people will eat:

4 fillets of salmon
4tbs olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1tsp Dijon mustard
3tbsp chopped flat-leafed parsley
1tbsp chopped tarragon
1 tbsp of capers, rinsed of their salt. Salt and black pepper

The sauce you are going to make is a variation on salsa verde, the famous green sauce of the Mediterranean. It’s very simple to do, especially if you have an electric whisk.

Whisk the mustard into the lemon juice, then whisk in the oil, a little at a time, until you have a fairly thick emulsion. Then stir in the herbs, the lemon zest and the capers. Do this before you cook the salmon, which gives the flavors time to mingle.

Brush the salmon fillets with oil or, if you prefer to cook ‘hands on’ as I do, pour a little olive oil into the palm of one hand, rub your hands together and then wipe them over the salmon fillets. This imparts exactly the right amount of oil.

Heat your pan or grill and cook the fillets for about three minutes on each side. This will leave the insides still moist and underdone. Cook a little longer if you like your salmon well done (shame on you!)

Spoon all except one tablespoon of the sauce on to individual plates and top with the salmon fillets. Pour a little of the remaining sauce over each of the fillets just before serving.

Minted new potatoes and a fresh green salad make excellent accompaniments.

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