Fish Main

Salmon with red wine sauce

Name: Salmon with red wine sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 bottle (750ml) light red wine (such as pinot noir); 2 eschalots, chopped; 1 bouquet garni; 4 peppercorns; 3 teaspoons caster sugar; 1 cup (250ml) beef stock; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 120g unsalted butter, chilled, cubed; 180g speck or pancetta, cut into thick 2cm-long batons; 1 onion, thinly sliced; 150g button mushrooms, sliced; 6 (about 150g each) salmon fillets, skin on

Rate now

15m

45m

Jump to recipe

The rich, glossy red wine sauce adds an element of luxury to simple crispy-skinned salmon.

1 bottle (750ml) light red wine (such as pinot noir)
2 eschalots, chopped
1 bouquet garni
4 peppercorns
3 teaspoons caster sugar
1 cup (250ml) beef stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
120g unsalted butter, chilled, cubed
180g speck or pancetta, cut into thick 2cm-long batons
1 onion, thinly sliced
150g button mushrooms, sliced
6 (about 150g each) salmon fillets, skin on

Method

1.

Place the red wine, eschalots, bouquet garni, peppercorns and sugar in a wide pan. Bring to boil, then simmer over low heat for 20 minutes to reduce by half. Add stock, reduce for 10 minutes until a sauce consistency, then set aside.
2.

Heat half the oil and 30g of butter in a frypan, add speck and onion and cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Strain the wine reduction onto the onions and mushrooms, discarding solids. Season the sauce, then set aside.
3.

In a separate heavy-based frypan, heat 30g of butter and the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Season the salmon, then fry skin-side down for 3 minutes (in batches if needed), then turn and fry for 2 minutes until just cooked through.
4.

Reheat sauce over medium heat, whisking in remaining butter, one piece at a time, until glossy. Drizzle salmon with a little sauce, and serve with mashed potato, and peas with baby onions (see related recipes).