Salmon poached in tarragon with carrots in brown butter

Salmon poached in tarragon with carrots in brown butter

(Serves 4)

4 portions of salmon fillet, about 200g each, pin-boned

2 carrots, peeled

200ml white wine

200ml white wine vinegar

400ml water

50g caster sugar

10 tarragon sprigs

For the carrots in brown butter:

250g salted butter

8 small carrots, peeled and halved lengthways, or 24 baby carrots

1 garlic clove, chopped

2tsp chopped tarragon

Sea salt

Cut the carrots lengthways into fine ribbons, using a vegetable peeler or mandoline. Pour the wine, wine vinegar and water into a saucepan and add the sugar, a pinch of salt, the carrot ribbons and tarragon sprigs. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for two minutes. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the brown butter, heat the butter in a pan over a medium-low heat until melted and starting to bubble. At this stage, lower the heat and continue to cook until the butter turns brown and has a nutty aroma; don’t let it burn. Immediately remove from the heat and strain through a muslin-lined sieve into a bowl.

Add the halved or whole baby carrots to a pan containing enough cold water to just cover them and add some salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are almost cooked. Drain and return them to the pan. Add 50ml of the brown butter with the chopped garlic and warm through over a low heat. Season with salt to taste and remove from the heat.

Drain the carrot ribbons, reserving the liquor; set aside.

To cook the salmon, bring the reserved liquor to a simmer in a fairly wide pan and add the fish fillets, making sure they are fully submerged. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes; the fish will cook in the residual heat.

To check the fish is done, carefully lift out a portion and insert a small knife into the thickest point, hold it there for five seconds and then place it against the back of your wrist; it should feel warm, not cold or hot.

Once the fish is ready, for the dressing, combine 75ml of the poaching liquor (reserved from earlier) with 150ml brown butter, warm through and add the chopped tarragon. Place a portion of salmon on each warm plate. Divide the carrot ribbons and brown butter carrots between the plates and spoon the dressing overto serve.

• Nathan Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen by Nathan Outlaw is published by Quadrille, £20.