Sagely is a tool to help you avoid allergens, not a guarantee, and it can miss them. You decide what goes in your food, so always check the ingredients and packaging yourself.
Ingredients
Sous Vide Salmon
- 2 salmon fillets, skin-on (approx. 200g each)
- 2 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 thin lemon slices
- 30 g unsalted butter, divided into 2 knobs
- Salt and white pepper, to season
Sear Finish
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or grapeseed)
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
Shaved Fennel & Herb Salad
- 1 fennel bulb, fronds reserved, bulb thinly shaved
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
- 3 radishes, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh dill fronds
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 30 g toasted pine nuts
Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 5 g Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
Sous Vide the Salmon
Preheat your sous vide water bath to 52°C.
Pat salmon fillets completely dry with paper towel. Season generously with salt and white pepper on all sides.
Place each fillet into its own vacuum bag or zip-lock bag. Add a dill sprig, thyme sprig, 2 lemon slices and a 15g knob of butter to each bag.
Seal the bags — if using zip-lock bags, use the water displacement method: slowly lower the bag into the water, letting the pressure push air out, then seal just above the waterline.
Submerge fully and cook for 45 minutes.
Make the Salad & Vinaigrette
While the salmon cooks, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and honey in a small bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Using a mandoline or sharp knife, shave the fennel bulb as thinly as possible. Thinly slice the cucumber and radishes.
Combine the fennel, cucumber, radishes, dill, parsley, mint and reserved fennel fronds in a large bowl. Don't dress yet — set aside until just before serving.
Sear & Finish
When the salmon is done, remove the fillets from the bags and pat the skin side completely dry with paper towel — this is crucial for a crispy skin.
Heat a cast iron or stainless steel pan over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the neutral oil.
Place the salmon skin-side down. Using a spatula, press gently for 10 seconds to prevent curling. Sear for 60–90 seconds until the skin is deep golden and crispy.
Flip the salmon. Add the butter and smashed garlic to the pan and baste the top of the salmon continuously for 30 seconds. Remove from heat immediately — the inside is already perfectly cooked.
Dress & Serve
Toss the salad with the vinaigrette and season to taste. Add the toasted pine nuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Plate the salad alongside the salmon, skin-side up to keep it crispy. Finish with an extra squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.
