Escalopes of Salmon with Champagne & Chive Sauce

Directions

For the sauce, melt 10g/¼oz of the butter in a saucepan, add the shallot and cook, without colouring, until softened.

Add the 120ml/4fl oz of champagne and boil for 2 minutes, then add the stock and sugar.

Boil rapidly until reduced by three-quarters. Add half the cream, bring to the boil and reduce until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Meanwhile, prepare the salmon escalopes. Remove any bones from the fillet with tweezers or by trapping them between the point of a small, sharp knife and your thumb.

Then, with a large filleting knife or carving knife, cut the salmon into 12 slices about 5mm/¼in thick, holding the knife at a 45-degree angle to the fillet and cutting at a slant down towards the skin. This will give you wider slices.

Brush each escalope with a little of the oil, season lightly with salt and then put them on a lightly oiled baking tray.

Preheat the grill to high. For the sauce, whisk the remaining cream with the 1 tablespoon of champagne and 2tsp of the chopped chives until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.

To finish the dish, grill the salmon escalopes for about 1 minute, then put them on four warmed plates.

Bring the reduced sauce to the boil, whisk in the remaining butter, then the whipped cream mixture and pour around the salmon. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve immediately, while the sauce is still foaming.