Butter poached salmon, topped with shaved sea urchin

"I couldn't help but include this dish we served at Metisse restaurant in late 2021. The sea urchin butter is a showstopper that piques the interest of any seafood lover. Combining the depth of flavour from sea urchin with a perfectly cooked piece of salmon, laying in sorrel cream makes for a rich, ever so comforting meal."

Butter poached salmon, topped with shaved sea urchin Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

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Ingredients

• 375 g unsalted butter
• 4 pieces skinless salmon, about 85 g each

Sea urchin butter

• 100 g sea urchin
• 250 g softened unsalted butter

Sorrel cream

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ small onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 100 ml white wine
• 500 ml (2 cups) cream
• 3 large sorrel leaves, chopped
• 25 ml lemon juice
• salt and pepper, to taste

Chilling time: 4 hours

Instructions

1. For the sea urchin butter, place the sea urchin in a small food processor and blitz until smooth. Add the butter and process until well combined. Spread the butter along one long end of a piece of baking paper, then roll up into a log. Refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours or until solid, preferably overnight.
2. Place the butter and 190 ml water into a saucepan over low heat. Whisk until the butter has melted, then remove from the heat.
3. For the sorrel cream, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir until softened, then add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the cream, sorrel, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. Strain the cream mixture and place back into the saucepan over low heat.
4. Using a thermometer, reheat the butter and water mixture to 65˚C. Add the salmon pieces and poach for 3 - 5 minutes for medium rare. Remove with a slotted spoon.
5. To serve, place each piece of fish in a shallow wide serving bowl. Add a ladle full of sorrel cream, then finish with shaved the sea urchin butter over the top at the table.

 

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

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Watch The Full Episode Here

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Watch The Full Episode Here

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