I know technically we are at the end of asparagus season but I have noticed that there are still some bunches of Irish asparagus in the shops so I feel ok to post this. As you can probably tell from reading this blog, I am not the biggest fan of seafood. I do eat it, I just don’t cook with it very often. So you might be wondering why I am posting this recipe for Roasted Salmon with Asparagus and Hollandaise Sauce.

I sampled a similar dish at Taste of Dublin a few years ago, and posted it on Instagram as you can see below. Well if I didn’t, did it even really happen?! And I have to say I quite liked it. Probably the first time I really liked a salmon dish. That might have something to do with the fact that I’d eat a shoe if it had hollandaise on it.

Useful tips & links:

• Obviously from the title I roasted the salmon in the oven. You can easily cook it in a pan or under the grill. On these great summer days it can be cooked on barbecue either wrapped in foil or if you want proper char marks on it, this guide from Weber is great.
• I have given directions on how to cook the hollandaise in a bain marie. If I am making a larger batch I use the foolproof blender method described in my Eggs Benedict post. It is faster and the sauce will never split or scramble that way.
• I cook this so that the asparagus has a bite to it but if you would like it softer, or if the stalks you have are very thick, roast the asparagus for a few minutes before adding the salmon.
• While you have the oven on you could cook extra salmon and use it for salad for work lunch or flaked into a creamy pasta dish.
• I served this with a little orzo pasta but you can make this a tray bake by cooking some potatoes on tray first for about 40 minutes until almost cooked and then add the salmon and asparagus for the last 8-10 minutes.
• For another salmon tray bake idea have a look at Indy’s beautiful Salmon Cauliflower recipe on The Little Green Spoon.
• I have some more suggestions for using Salmon here.

Roast Salmon with Asparagus and Hollandaise Sauce

Serves 2

 

Ingredients:

• 2 centre cut salmon fillets, weighing approx. 150g – 175g
• A bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• Salt and pepper
• 75g of unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• A pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Chopped parsley

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 180c/160c fan/gas mark 4.
• Melt the unsalted butter for the sauce and set it aside to cool slightly.
• Set up a bain maire by putting a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water or you will scramble the eggs in your hollandaise sauce.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay the salmon and asparagus on it.
• Mix together the olive oil, the zest of half the lemon, crushed garlic and salt and pepper and pour over the salmon and asparagus. Make sure the salmon is well coated.
• Thinly slice half the lemon and arrange on the salmon and asparagus.
• Roast the salmon for 8-10 minutes until the salmon is just opaque, how long this takes will depend on the thickness of the salmon. I left this salmon in for 10 minutes and to be honest it was a little too long.
• Whisk the egg yolks with a tablespoon of lemon juice and pour them into the bain marie. Season with salt and pepper and whisk constantly until the eggs start to thicken. Keep and eye on the water and make sure it keeps at a gentle simmer to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If at any point you think the eggs are getting too hot just take the bowl off the heat, add a little cold water and whisk furiously.
• Very slowly pour in the melted butter, whisking the whole time, until it is nearly all added. You will see some white milk solids in the bottom of the melted butter, do not add these to the eggs. Keep whisking the hollandaise sauce until it has thickened to the consistency you want. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed or add more lemon juice. Add the cayenne pepper if using. Take it off the heat once you are happy with it.
• Serve the asparagus on the plate and top with the salmon. Spoon over some hollandaise sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with a cool glass of white wine.