The Secret to This Simple Summer Dinner? A Sauce You’ll Want to Eat on Everything

When DAISY RYAN returned to her California home to open Bell’s Bistro, a restaurant with a French influence, She quickly mastered the art of serving a large crowd in a passionate and joyful manner. The key to her success is a simple yet lavish recipe preparation method.

The 3rd Slow Food Fast contribution–an elegant dish of boiling new potatoes with silky salmon and a delicious tarragon-tomato aioli is a perfect example. The oil poaching makes the fish soft and flaky, while the sauce, although delicious, is a snap cook-ahead recipe Ryan considers “good on absolutely anything.”

“This dish is made up of just three parts,” the chef explained, “but every one is perfect.”

Ingredients

• Two tablespoons of olive oil and 1-2 quarts of poaching water
• Two tablespoons of finely chopped tarragon plus an additional garnish
• One small shallot minced
• One whole can of tomato is cut into pieces.
• 1/3 cup of white wine
• Two anchovies that have been finely chopped
• Two tablespoons of Champagne vinegar
• 1 cup tomato paste
• Half teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds of baby potatoes
• Salt Kosher
• One tablespoon butter
• One teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
• 1. teaspoon coriander ground
• One lemon’s zest Plus four lemon wedges
• 4 salmon filets (1 1/2-2 pounds total)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

1. Set up a medium saucepan over moderate heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, two tablespoons of chopped tarragon tomato, shallot, white vinegar, wine, anchovies, tomato paste, and cayenne. Mix well, using a spoon to break up tomato and anchovies. The sauce will reduce in the pan and turns dark for around 7 minutes. Set aside.
2. While you’re at it, place the potatoes in a saucepan with salted water and cover. Cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Remove the potatoes and put them in a dry pan. Mix in butter, one tablespoon of oil, Aleppo pepper, coriander, lemon zest, and some salt to ensure they are evenly coated.
3. As potatoes cook, prepare salmon. Add about 3 inches of oil into an oven-proof pot. (You might require more or less fat, depending upon the size of your fillets. Make sure to cover them.) Warm the oil over medium heat until it becomes bubbly but not boiling, approximately three to five minutes. Salt the salmon and then drop the fillets in oil. Then, gently cook until flaky for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove cooked fillets of the oil and set them on a dish. Clean any skin.
4. Mix 1/4 cup chilled tomatoes into the mayonnaise until well combined. Add salt as needed. For serving, divide the salmon, potatoes, salmon, and sauce among four plates. Decorate each plate by putting lemon slices on top and fresh tarragon leaves.