Salmon Confit with Lemongrass Sauce

21 steps · 45 min total

1. 01

   Preheat Oven, Prep Salmon

   Preheat your oven to 120°C. If your oven runs hot, you might consider setting it to 110°C to prevent the salmon from roasting instead of gently cooking. Choose thick salmon fillets if you can; they tend to stay juicier.
2. 02

   Season Salmon, Slice Lemons

   Rub the salmon fillets with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper, using about 1/2 teaspoon of each, rubbing it all over the fish.

   Slice two lemons into thick rounds, discarding the ends.

3. 03

   Line Tray with Lemons

   Arrange the lemon slices on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
4. 04

   Arrange Salmon

   Place the seasoned salmon fillets directly on top of the lemon slices. If your fillets still have skin, orient them skin-side down.
5. 05

   Bake Salmon, Prep Vegetables

   Slide the baking tray into the preheated oven and cook the salmon for 25 minutes. If your fillets are particularly thick, you might need an extra 3 to 5 minutes.

   While the salmon bakes, prepare your vegetables: peel and diagonally slice a large carrot into thin pieces. Wash and pluck the leaves from about 150g of spinach.

6. 06

   Sauté Carrots

   Heat a deep saucepan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, drop in 1 tablespoon of butter. As soon as the butter melts, add the sliced carrots and stir-fry for about 1 minute, just until they start to soften but still have a slight crunch.
7. 07

   Sauté Garlic

   Remove the cooked carrots from the pan and set them aside. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and stir-fry for about 20 seconds, until fragrant.
8. 08

   Sauté Spinach

   Add the spinach leaves to the pan and stir-fry over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, about 1/2 teaspoon of each. Continue to stir-fry until the spinach is soft and wilted, but still retains its pretty green color. Dish up the cooked spinach and set it aside with the carrots.
9. 09

   Prep Lemongrass

   To start the sauce, peel off the tough outer layers of 2 stalks of lemongrass. Slice them into roughly 2-inch pieces, then use the back of your knife to bash and bruise them slightly. This helps release their aromatic oils and flavor.
10. 10

    Sauté Lemongrass

    In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Once it's melted and bubbling gently, add the bruised lemongrass pieces and cook over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
11. 11

    Add Cream

    Pour in 150ml of fresh liquid cream.
12. 12

    Simmer Sauce

    Bring the mixture to a gentle rolling boil.
13. 13

    Season Sauce

    Stir in 1 teaspoon of liquid chicken stock concentrate (or 1/2 cube of chicken bouillon). Taste and add more chicken stock if the sauce needs more salt.
14. 14

    Thicken Sauce

    Continue to whisk the sauce as it boils. After a couple of minutes, it should have thickened enough to lightly coat a spoon.
15. 15

    Remove Lemongrass

    Carefully remove and discard the lemongrass pieces from the sauce.
16. 16

    Add Lemon Juice

    Stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste the sauce.
17. 17

    Adjust Seasoning

    If the sauce needs more brightness, add a bit more lemon juice.
18. 18

    Finish Sauce

    Whisk the sauce well to combine all the flavors. Your salmon should be ready to come out of the oven.
19. 19

    Plate Dish

    Remove the salmon from the oven.

    To plate, arrange some of the sautéed spinach and carrots on the bottom of a plate or shallow dish, then gently place a salmon fillet on top.

20. 20

    Drizzle Sauce

    Spoon a generous amount of the warm lemongrass sauce around the fish.
21. 21

    Garnish

    Finish by garnishing with fresh chives.