Médaillons de Saumon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Long, sharp slicing knife
• •Two nesting rimmed trays
• •Two unopened tins, about 2 pounds (900 g) total, for pressing
• •2¾-inch (7 cm) round or oval cutter
• •Wire rack and lined tray
• •Small offset spatula
• •Fine-mesh strainer and damp cloth or coffee filter
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Medium whisk and mixing bowls

Instructions

1. 1

   Slice the salmon

   Chill the salmon in the freezer for 15 minutes, just until firm enough to cut cleanly. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and brush a rimmed metal tray generously with half the butter. Using a long, sharp slicing knife, cut the fillet across the grain on a shallow bias into twelve broad slices, each ⅓ inch (8 mm) thick. Do not trim them yet; cooking first and cutting afterward gives the medallions their even edges. Arrange the slices in one layer and season them with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ⅛ teaspoon of the white pepper.

   A fishmonger can cut the broad slices for you. Ask for twelve even salmon escalopes, ⅓ inch thick, from the center of a skinless fillet.
2. 2

   Poach without liquid

   Rub a sheet of parchment with the remaining butter and lay it buttered-side down directly against the salmon. Pocher à sec in the oven for 4 to 7 minutes, until the flesh is just opaque, remains supple, and reaches about 140°F (60°C) at the center; the brief carryover beneath the paper will bring it close to 145°F (63°C). There is no added liquid. The close parchment and butter protect the thin slices while their own moisture cooks them.

3. 3

   Press and chill

   Pour away any liquid from the tray without disturbing the salmon. Replace the top parchment with a clean sheet, set a second flat tray over it, and add about 2 pounds (900 g) of evenly distributed weight. Two unopened tins do the work nicely. Let the salmon settle for 10 minutes, then transfer the weighted tray to the refrigerator for at least 1½ hours. Keep the pressure light; you want level slices, not compressed fish.

4. 4

   Build the aspic

   During the final half-hour of chilling, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold water and leave it to bloom for 5 minutes. Bring the fish stock and ⅛ teaspoon of the salt to a bare simmer, skimming away any particles, then remove it from the heat. Stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved and strain through a damp fine cloth or coffee filter. Do not boil the gelatin once it has been added, or its setting strength weakens. Cool the aspic over a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until it is cool but still fully liquid. Measure ⅓ cup (80 ml) for the mayonnaise and reserve the rest for glazing.

5. 5

   Trim the medallions

   Remove the press and blot both sides of every salmon slice completely dry. Cut each with a 2¾-inch (7 cm) round or oval cutter, pressing straight down rather than twisting, and reserve the trimmings for an omelette or salmon salad. Set the twelve medallions on a wire rack over a lined tray and chill them uncovered for 10 minutes. This drying is not cosmetic. Moisture trapped beneath the mask is what makes the coating slip.

6. 6

   Make mayonnaise collée

   Whisk the pasteurized yolk, Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons of the vinegar, the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, and the remaining white pepper in a medium bowl. Add the oil first by drops, then in a fine steady thread once the emulsion has taken, whisking until the mayonnaise is thick and glossy. If it breaks, stop. Ça se rattrape: put the remaining teaspoon of vinegar in a clean bowl, whisk in a teaspoon of the broken mayonnaise until smooth, then add the rest gradually. Whisk the ⅓ cup (80 ml) of cooled liquid aspic into the finished mayonnaise in four additions. Set the bowl over ice and stir until the mayonnaise collée softly mounds on a spoon. If it becomes too firm, warm the outside of the bowl briefly with your hands; if it runs, give it another minute over ice.

   The egg yolk, mustard, oil, and liquid aspic should be near the same cool room temperature. A warm aspic melts the emulsion, while a half-set aspic leaves little lumps.
7. 7

   Mask and set

   Leave the dry medallions on the rack and spoon about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise collée over each one. Use a small offset spatula to coax an even layer over the top and sides without scraping the salmon. The coating should conceal the fish but remain thin enough to preserve its shape. Chill for 25 minutes, until the surface is firm. If the mask slides or pools, scrape it back into the bowl, blot and rechill the salmon, and thicken the sauce briefly over ice before trying again.

8. 8

   Decorate and glaze

   Lay one dry chervil leaf flat on each set medallion. If the reserved aspic has gelled, melt it over the gentlest heat, then cool it over ice until it is fluid, lightly syrupy, and no warmer than 65°F (18°C). Spoon a thin coat from the center of each medallion so it flows over the top and sides. Chill for 10 minutes, then repeat with a second thin coat for an even gloss. If the aspic runs straight through the rack, it is too warm; cool it a little further. If it catches in lumps, warm the base of the bowl for a few seconds. Ça se rattrape.

9. 9

   Arrange and serve

   Chill the glazed medallions for at least 1 hour. Lift them with a thin spatula and arrange three per person on a cold platter, leaving enough space that their glazed edges do not stick together. Let the platter stand for 10 minutes before serving so the salmon loses its refrigerator chill, but keep it below 40°F (4°C) until that final interval. The aspic should hold a clean gloss and the mayonnaise collée should cut neatly with the fish. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose the thick, even center of the fillet. The tapering tail cannot yield matching broad slices, and forcing it only creates ragged medallions. Technique first, always.
• •The source allows either mayonnaise thickened with jelly or a white, pink, or green chaud-froid. This version follows the mayonnaise collée path exactly; the emulsion supplies richness, while the aspic gives it enough body to mask the salmon.
• •The fish stock need not possess the impossible clarity of a brigade aspic, but it must be mild, unsalted, and free from particles. A murky, aggressively reduced stock turns the clear glaze brown and overwhelms the salmon.
• •Keep the finished dish cold and serve it within 24 hours. Do not freeze it. Freezing breaks both the mayonnaise emulsion and the aspic, leaving water on the surface when they thaw.
• •For a full dinner-party plate, serve the medallions with separately dressed tender lettuce and warm new potatoes. Keep the accompaniments away from the glazed platter so their vinaigrette cannot cloud the aspic. A dry white Burgundy has enough freshness for the mayonnaise and enough breadth for the salmon.

Advance Preparation

• •The aspic can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Melt it over very gentle heat and cool it until lightly syrupy before mixing or glazing; never let it boil.
• •The salmon can be dry-poached and chilled under its light press overnight. Trim, mask, and glaze it the following morning.
• •The finished medallions may be completed up to 24 hours before serving. Refrigerate them on their platter beneath a loose cover that cannot touch the glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 295g)