Salmon Poached in Champagne Sauce

Here we are proving that I can cook with some type of alcohol besides various forms of whisky!

This would be one of those dishes you serve for really special company, people you want to impress, or a nice romantic dinner for two! (Or yourself, a good movie or some West Wing re-runs and all the champagne to yourself....)

It was really easy to make and it helps to drink some of the champagne along the way.

We usually served this with plain white rice, which lends its self well to soaking up the delicate sauce without competing with it; and asparagus. This time we did with what we had on hand (and yes, we normally have salmon, champagne and heavy cream on hand...the parsley I lifted from my breakfast at Shari's and brought it home in a napkin..it's called "being thrifty" or "SCOTTISH".) The peas were good. The Pilaf competed a little too much.

Since generally champagne is an aperitif, it’s good to serve with a Sauvignon Blanc as the dinner wine.

Salmon Poached in Champagne Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tbs diced (tiny) onions
1 c brut Champagne (I suppose any will work. Cook's pink sounds nice)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 sprigs fresh parsley
½ tsp dill
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of pepper
1 tbs corn starch
1 tbs water

Pour two glasses of champagne (No one uses the whole bottle on the fish and once it’s open well…..it’s bad luck to leave an open bottle.) Share one or drink them both while you cook the fish…or pour one and pour off another ¼ c to make some yogurt champagne salad dressing

Start with the olive oil in a large frying pan (We used a 10” Greenpan over medium-high heat, add onions and saute until soft.

Add the Champagne, lemon juice, and parsley to pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to barely a simmer.

Season filets with sea salt, dill and pepper. Carefully slide the fishy fillets into the liquid, cover and poach 3 to 4 minutes (or until done).

Move them to a plate and set them aside while you finish the sauce.
DO NOT EMPTY PAN!!!!!

Pour off the poaching liquid then ladle 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid back into the frying pan over medium heat. Add cream and bring to a boil.

Make a slurry from the corn starch and water.

Reduce to a simmer and whisk in slurry. Stirring constantly as it thickens, simmer 1-2 minutes. Return fish to the sauce just enough to heat it through.

Put the fish on a serving plate, spoon the sauce over it and garnish with lemon if you like. (We used some chives for garnish because we have them growing like weeds on the mantle.)