Pan-Fried Salmon with Garlic, Fava Beans, and Beurre Blanc

I find salmon has a richness that most fish don’t have, which means it can easily strand up to the strong flavor of garlic. I serve the salmon, garlic, and fava beans with beurre blanc, which is a simple emulsion of white wine, vinegar, and butter.

I find salmon has a richness that most fish don’t have, which means it can easily strand up to the strong flavour of garlic. I serve the salmon, garlic, and broad beans with beurre blanc, which is a simple emulsion of white wine, vinegar, and butter.

Beurre Blanc

1 cup dry white wine

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

7 tablespoons butter, diced, chilled

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fava Beans and Salmon

6 1/2 ounces fresh fava beans (after their removal from pod)

Four 5 1/2-ounce salmon fillets, skin-on

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

Beurre Blanc:

200ml dry white wine

1 large eschalot, thinly sliced

100ml white wine vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons double cream

100g butter, diced, chilled

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Broad Beans and Salmon:

180g fresh broad beans (after their removal from pod)

Four 160g salmon fillets, skin-on

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed

100ml water

Cookbook

Cooking with Curtis

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Directions

PREP TIME

MINS

COOKING TIME

MINS

Serves

Make-Ahead:

The fava beans can be blanched up to 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Make-Ahead:

The broad beans can be blanched up to 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated.

To make the beurre blanc:

In a saucepan, combine the white wine, shallots, and vinegar and simmer until reduced to a glaze. Do not allow to color. Before the liquid evaporates, add the cream and remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the diced butter, piece by piece, until all the butter has melted and emulsified with the wine-vinegar reduction.

Strain the beurre blance through a fine sieve and stir in the chives. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

To blanch the fava beans:

In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the fava beans for 30 seconds, then refresh them immediately in a bowl of ice-cold water and remove the skins.

To cook the salmon and fava beans:

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil then add the salmon, skin-side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skin is crispy. Turn the salmon over and cook for a further 2 minutes, and then remove the salmon from the pan and set aside. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, heat another frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and then the garlic. Add the fava beans with the 1/3 cup of water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Place the fava beans in the center of 4 large serving plates and place the salmon on top. Drizzle the beurre blanc around the beans and salmon, and serve.

To make the beurre blanc:

In a saucepan, combine the white wine, eschalots, and vinegar and simmer until reduced to a glaze. Do not allow to colour. Before the liquid evaporates, add the cream and remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the diced butter, piece by piece, until all the butter has melted and emulsified with the wine-vinegar reduction.

Strain the beurre blance through a fine sieve and stir in the chives. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

To blanch the broad beans:

In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the broad beans for 30 seconds, then refresh them immediately in a bowl of ice-cold water and remove the skins.

To cook the salmon and broad beans:

Meanwhile, heat another frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and then the garlic. Add the broad beans with the 100ml of water and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Place the broad beans in the centre of 4 large serving plates and place the salmon on top. Drizzle the beurre blanc around the beans and salmon, and serve.