Salmon en Papillote with Herb Butter
Dry-brined salmon steamed over charcoal with dill, caper and lemon butter and a splash of white wine, restaurant style.
Method
Pat the salmon dry, sprinkle the salt evenly over both sides and leave it in the fridge or cool box for . This dry brine seasons the fish all the way through and firms up the flesh.
Add in this stepSalmon fillets (skin on, 150 g each) 2Salt (for dry-brining) ½ tsp
Slice the potatoes 5 mm thick, skin on. Half-fill a 18 cm pot with water and bring to the boil over high heat, about . Add the potatoes, lower to medium heat and simmer for , adding the trimmed green beans for the last minute. When a knife tip slides in with slight resistance, drain well.
Add in this stepNew potatoes (small) 240 gGreen beans 100 g
high heat→medium heatMake the herb butter: mash the soft butter with a fork together with finely grated garlic, the zest of half a lemon, half the chopped dill, the chopped capers and pepper. Thinly slice the rest of the lemon.
Add in this stepUnsalted butter (softened) 40 gGarlic (cloves) 1Lemon 1Dill 3 gCapers 2 tspBlack pepper to taste
Lay out 2 sheets of doubled foil. Pile potatoes and beans in the centre and place the salmon on top, skin side down. Blot the salmon once more, spread over plenty of herb butter, top with lemon slices and pour over the wine. Seal into a tent, leaving room above the fish for steam.
Add in this stepAluminium foil (40 cm, double layer) 2Dry white wine 30 ml
Place on the grill over charcoal (medium heat) and cook for . When the parcels puff up and hiss with steam, they are cooking nicely.
charcoal (medium heat)Take them off the heat and leave for . Open carefully: the salmon is perfect when it flakes easily under a fork but the centre is still just moist. Finish with flaky salt and the remaining dill.
Add in this stepFlaky sea salt (to finish) to tasteDill 3 g
Cook's tip
Add 2 minutes for fillets thicker than 3 cm. With a probe thermometer, 50 to 52°C in the centre gives moist, just-cooked salmon. Make a double batch of herb butter and freeze it for steaks or toast.
Cooking it at camp
Boil the potatoes on the burner while the charcoal heats up, so both run at once. Make the herb butter at home, wrap it in cling film and keep it in the cool box to halve the work at camp. Three or four parcels cool the grill a little, which is why the time goes up by 2 minutes.