Roast salmon with mussels, samphire & Champagne saffron broth

Name: Roast salmon with mussels, samphire & Champagne saffron broth
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 kg mussels, from the fish counter; 100 g butter, plus extra for the samphire, if liked; 3 shallots, finely chopped; 2 clove/s garlic, crushed; 150 ml Champagne or white wine; 500 g pack No.1 Scottish Salmon Prime Fillet; 2 tsp olive oil; 0.4 g jar Cooks’ Ingredients Saffron; 100 ml double cream; 40 g crème fraîche; 90 g pack samphire; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped, plus a few to garnish; 20 g pack chives, finely chopped; Couple sprigs dill, leaves picked, to serve; 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

The Champagne in the sauce for Paul Gamble's Christmas recipe gives it a real touch of seasonal sparkle. Mussels are versatile, super easy and quick to cook and add an extra dimension to the succulent salmon fillet. Steaming them first and using the cooking juices to make the Champagne and saffron sauce is a great way to inject lots of flavour.

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Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare30 mins
Cook50 mins
Total time1 hr 20 mins

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1kg mussels, from the fish counter
100g butter, plus extra for the samphire, if liked
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 clove/s garlic, crushed
150ml Champagne or white wine
500g pack No.1 Scottish Salmon Prime Fillet
2 tsp olive oil
0.4g jar Cooks’ Ingredients Saffron
100ml double cream
40g crème fraîche
90g pack samphire
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped, plus a few to garnish
¾ x 20g pack chives, finely chopped
Couple sprigs dill, leaves picked, to serve
1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges

For the gremolata

1 clove/s garlic
25g flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
½ x 20g pack chives, roughly chopped
1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Rinse the mussels in a colander to clean them and pull off any fibres attached to the shell. Discard any open ones that do not close when tapped sharply on the worktop, and drain well before cooking.
Set a large saucepan over a medium heat and melt 10g butter. Cook 40g shallots and half the crushed garlic for 5 minutes, until softened.
Add 50ml Champagne or wine, bring to a rapid boil, then add the mussels and cover with a tight fitting lid. Keep on a medium heat and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the shells have opened and the mussels look plump and are firm to the touch.
Drain in a colander, with a bowl underneath to catch any juices. Allow to cool. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened, then pick out the meat, leaving 12-16 in their shells for presentation. Leave in a cool place.
Make the gremolata by putting 1 garlic clove and the herbs into a food processor. Blitz until roughly chopped. Add the lemon juice and zest and oil, then blitz until well incorporated with a rough texture. Set aside until ready to serve. Preheat the oven to 160ºC, gas mark 3.
Place the salmon in a wide ovenproof frying pan, skin-side down. Season and drizzle with 2 tsp oil. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until just cooked through, opaque and flaking easily with a fork.
Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat 20g butter in a medium saucepan, then sweat the remaining shallots and garlic for 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
Sprinkle in the saffron and cook for 1 minute more to release its colour and flavour. Add the remaining Champagne or wine and let it reduce by half. Pour in the reserved mussel cooking liquid, bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, then add the cream and whisk in the remaining butter. Add the crème fraîche. Set aside until ready to serve.
Just before serving, steam the samphire (or fry in a little butter) according to pack instructions. Reheat the saffron sauce and add the chopped parsley and most of the chives. Add the cooked, picked and in-shell mussels and season to taste with salt, pepper and a generous squeeze from half the lemon.
Pour the sauce and mussels over the salmon, still in its pan. Drizzle over some gremolata, then scatter with a little samphire. Garnish with the remaining parsley leaves and the chives and dill. Serve with the lemon wedges and the remaining gremolata and samphire on the side.

Cook’s tip

This is such an elegant dish that it only needs simple accompaniments – sautéed shredded cabbage, peas and broccoli, finished with a little butter and boiled new potatoes, slightly crushed to soak up the lovely sauce.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe