Salmon with Capers

I share with you an extremely easy way to cook salmon. I like to use salmon steaks for this recipe but of course a large fillet would work well and I like to remove the skin before cooking, but this is my preference. The recipe is written for 2, however, if you wish to increase just double up the ingredients per every 2 people.

The caper butter sauce is based on the French classic ‘noisette’ which is a term for a burnt butter sauce. A delicious simple sauce excellent for fish which can be infused with a number of ingredients. For this recipe I use butter, lemon and capers. The butter should be melted and cooked to a light caramel colour before the lemon juice is added. BE CAREFUL NOT to allow the butter to burn. If this happens the butter will turn black and taste bitter. If this happens, best to discard and start again!

20 minutes

200°C

Ingredients

2 portions of salmon

- approximately 180g each, skin removed
Seasoning
Pinch of sea salt flakes
Generous grind of black pepper
Caper Butter Sauce
100g butter
2 tbsp capers

- rinsed and drained
1 lemon

- zest and juice

Instructions

01 Preheat oven to 200°C.
Prepare salmon:
02 Pat dry with paper towel and either keep or remove the skin. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Lay flat skin side down into an lightly oiled baking dish.
Make caper butter sauce:
03 Heat a heavy saucepan melt butter. Add capers and stirring continually allow butter and capers to colour slightly (burnt butter sauce).
04 When the butter has darkened slightly add the lemon zest and juice. Remove from the heat and pour hot all over the salmon. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or so to bake.
Serve:
05 Take to the table hot and serve with baby spinach tossed in butter, salad or any vegetable of your choice.

Notes

It is possible to cook the salmon in a heavy based frying pan on top of the stove, but I always prefer to bake fish in the oven as it is so easy to over handle and break the delicate flesh.