Recipe Archives->Fish->Salmon Pistou

 
Salmon with Pistou and a tomato sauce
Servings:  4
 
2 salmon steacks, 3 cm thick (3/4 in)               
36 basil leaves            
6 cloves of garlic, inner green parts removed 
6 tb olive oil            
2 new-season onions, white part only
4 very ripe tomatoes
15 g unsalted butter (1/2 oz)
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Salt, pepper and cayenne

Pistou: put the basil, peeled garlic, olive oil and some salt and
pepper into a liquidizer or food processor. Work the machine until
you have a fairly thick puree.

Sauce: slice the onions, cut the tomatoes into quarters and put
them with the onions into a saucepan on the stove. Add 100 ml (scant
1/4 pint) water, cook until the tomatoes have softened to a pulp,
sieve and set it aside.

Skin the salmon and bone it. Cut each piece in two horizontally.
Arrange the fish in an oven dish smeared with olive oil. (the oven
dish needs to be made of a thin metal that conducts heat quickly.)
Season with salt, pepper and cayenne, and put a dab of butter on
to each piece of fish.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 oC/400 oF. Leave the salmon in the oven
for 2 minutes, then take it out again. It will continue to cook
while you finish the sauces.

Reheat the tomato sauce. Season it with salt, pepper, cayenne and
fresh thyme. Bring it briefly to the boil.

The pistou can be eaten hot or cold; to heat it, whisk it while it
warms up over a low heat.

Serve each piece of salmon with a little tomato sauce underneath
it. Coat with the pistou.

Printable version: salmon-pistou.txt.