Poached Salmon Cutlets with Hot Basil Sauce

This poached salmon is a masterclass in getting the most from simple ingredients. The cutlets simmer gently on a bed of celery, carrots, and onion in white wine and water, picking up flavor from the vegetables and half the basil while staying incredibly moist.

The brilliant part is turning the poaching liquid into the sauce. After the salmon comes out, the liquid simmers down, gets blended with both the cooked basil and a hit of fresh reserved basil, then reduces by half into a concentrated, emerald-green sauce. That combination of cooked and raw basil gives it layered herbal depth. Cooked basil adds body, while the raw basil punches through with bright, peppery freshness.

A knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon stirred in off the heat finishes everything with richness and acidity. Pour it right over the warm cutlets and serve immediately.

Chef Tips

• Keep the poaching at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil. Boiling toughens fish and makes it fall apart.
• Use thick cutlets, about an inch, so they hold together during poaching. Thin fillets will overcook.
• Reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon. Too thin and it just runs off the fish.
• Stir the butter in off the heat so it emulsifies into the sauce rather than separating.

Variations

• Use tarragon instead of basil for a more French-leaning flavor profile.
• Add a splash of cream during the reduction for a richer, pale green sauce.
• Substitute trout or arctic char for a slightly different flavor with the same poaching method.