Salmon Florentine

4 salmon fillets in large pan with lemon slices

Print Recipe

This salmon florentine is elegant, completely delicious and beyond simple to make!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: French, Italian

Servings:

Author: Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Paper Towels/Kitchen Roll (for patting salmon dry and drying spinach)
Large Non-Stick Pan & Tongs
Wooden Spoon
Jug (for stock/cream)
Microplane/Zester (for lemon)

Ingredients

150g / 5.3oz Baby Spinach Leaves (see notes)
4 120-150g / 4-5oz boneless skinless Salmon Fillets (see notes)
2 tbsp / 30g Unsalted Butter
1 Echalion, finely diced (sub 2 regular small shallots)
2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
60ml / 1/4 cup Dry White Wine (see notes)
120ml / 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
180ml / 3/4 cup Double/Heavy Cream
30g / 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/8 tsp EACH: Ground Nutmeg, White Pepper, Salt (or to taste)
1 Lemon
Black Pepper, as needed
Olive Oil, as needed

Instructions

Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat, then add a light drizzle of oil. Add the spinach and use your wooden spoon to press down, then begin stirring the spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, use tongs to remove it and place it on 2-3 linings of kitchen roll/paper towels. Place more on top and press down to squeeze out the excess moisture.
Use kitchen roll/paper towels to pat the salmon dry, then season both sides of the fillets with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.
Turn the heat to medium-high and add a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the salmon presentation side down and fry for 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp on the bottom. Carefully flip and fry them for 2 minutes, then add the butter and baste them for 1 more minute, or until they're just about cooked through and golden on both sides. Remove the salmon and place on a plate to one side, then lower the heat to medium.
Add the shallots to the leftover butter and fry until soft and golden, then add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds or so longer (be careful it doesn't burn). Pour in the wine, increase the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until it almost completely evaporates and the pungent smell of alcohol vanishes.
Lower the heat back down to medium and pour in the stock and cream. Stir in the parmesan, salt, white pepper and nutmeg until blended, then simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the resting juices from the salmon, then check for seasoning and adjust if needed. You can now stir in the spinach (the sauce might be quite thick, but the spinach will thin it out a little more).
I like to serve with a light zesting of lemon on top, then a lemon wedge per person to squeeze over at the end. You can also slice 2 thin rings from the lemon and halve them, to make 4 semi-circles to garnish the salmon.

Video

Notes

a) Spinach - It will seem like a huge amount, but it wilts down A LOT. It's important to squeeze out the moisture, otherwise it'll make the sauce watery. I like to remove any large stalks beforehand, but that's optional.

b) Salmon - Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your salmon. Use your judgement — the sides should turn opaque, and the centre should flake easily with a fork.

c) Wine - This adds a lovely gentle background flavour. Make sure you reduce it to burn off the alcohol, otherwise the sauce will be sour. If you can't use wine, just leave it out and be sure to finish with a good squeeze of lemon at the end.

d) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4 assuming 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 500g/1/1lb salmon total.

Nutrition