Salmon with leeks and a cream mustard sauce

Salmon with mustard cream sauce and leeks

I first ate this at my friend Ranghild’s Easter supper. She’s from Sweden, and is pretty big on herring – which is fine by me, but in deference to Jon who hates fish she decided to make us salmon. It was inconceivable to her that salmon was a fish that someone could hate, just as my grandma once made a vegetarian boyfriend of mine chicken soup.

She grilled the fish then smothered it with mustard cream. My way of cooking keeps to the spirit of her dish, but the foil makes for less washing up, less potential smoking out the kitchen, and a more intensely flavored sauce.

Salmon can take strong flavors like this. Indeed, it seems to stand up to the competition, tasting more intently – intensely even – of itself.

Ingredients (per parcel)

1 salmon portion
1 small leek – well washed
1 tsp grain mustard
1 tbsp cream
Salt and pepper

  • Pre heat the oven to 350
  • Lay out a rectangle of foil about the size of a sheet of printer paper
  • Chop up the white part of the leek into coins, very thinly. Place a handful  in the middle of the foil
  • Place the salmon on top and spread with the grain mustard. Season well.
  • Pull the edges of the foil up and over as though you’re going to make the parcel. Pour over the cream
  • Press and scrunch the edges together to seal the foil.
  • Bake for 15 mins for rare fish ( a little longer if your salmon is especially thick) 17 for medium, and 20 – 25 for well done

Do you want to make it fancier?

  • Lay a sprig of dill over the salmon before cooing, then sprinkle over chopped dill at the end
  • Freshen up the flavors with a spritz of lemon juice

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with boiled potatoes fronded with dill
  • Or with a wild rice mixture
  • Serve a mixture of peas and snow peas alongside

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