Wild Salmon à la Lutèce with Sweet Corn, Green Cabbage, and Brown Butter Vinaigrette
André Soltner is one of my culinary heroes. I admire his interpretations of regional dishes from his Alsatian homeland, which are refined enough to serve in one of New York City’s fanciest French restaurants yet still true to their humble origins. Only a great chef can strike that balance. I discovered his recipe for salmon sautéed in a bacon-and-egg “batter” and served with a brown butter sauce in the middle of summer, so I added corn to the sautéed cabbage for a sweet seasonal touch. The tart brown butter–vinegar sauce beautifully balances the smoky bacon and rich salmon.
Ingredients
Sweet Corn, Green Cabbage, and Bacon
Preparation
Step 1
In a small saucepan, bring the milk and bacon to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook a few minutes, remove from the heat, and cool 5 minutes. Purée the mixture in a food processor until the bacon is fully incorporated into the milk. Add the eggs, and pulse a few times to combine. Transfer to a baking dish and set aside.
Step 2
When you are ready to cook the salmon, stir the breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley into the bacon-milk mixture.
Step 3
Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the salmon in the batter and turn the fillets with your hands to coat well.
Step 4
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the fish in batches.) Swirl in the olive oil and wait a minute. Carefully place the batter-coated fish in the pan. (Some of the batter might fall off; use your hands to pat it back on, making sure each piece is well coated.) Turn the heat to low, and cook for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Carefully turn each piece over, and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, until it’s nicely browned on the second side and still a little rare at the center. Transfer the fish to a resting rack.
Step 5
Meanwhile, place the butter in a small saucepan and cook 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, swirling the pan a few times, until it browns and smells nutty. Turn off the heat and wait a minute. Add the red wine vinegar, the onion, and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt. Return the butter to the stove over low heat, and cook a minute or two, until the onion is just softened but still slightly crunchy. Turn off the heat, and squeeze in lemon juice to taste.
Step 6
Arrange the sweet corn, green cabbage, and bacon on a large warm platter and top with the salmon. Stir 2 tablespoons chopped parsley into the brown butter vinaigrette and spoon it over the fish.
Sweet Corn, Green Cabbage, and Bacon
Step 7
Cut the bacon into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Stack them in two piles, then cut the bacon crosswise into 3/8-inch rectangles or lardons.
Step 8
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the bacon lardons and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often, until tender and lightly crisped. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
Step 9
Swirl in the butter, and, when it foams, add the spring onions, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Sauté over medium heat, about 3 minutes, then add the corn, and continue cooking another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Add the cabbage, and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage just wilts. Taste for seasoning, and toss in the spring onion tops and chopped parsley.
Note
Step 10
You can make the base of the batter ahead of time; just wait and add the breadcrumbs and parsley at the last minute. You can also make the brown butter–vinegar sauce ahead of time if you like. Cook the vegetables while you cook the salmon.
