My Perfect Plate of Food
And a look back on something new that happened in my kitchen this week
Hello again friends and welcome to The Recovering Line Cook!
This week I was joined in my little Finnish kitchen by a couple of men I’d never met before. I was, to be honest, a little nervous about this at first; I’d never done what I was signed up to do with them after all.
I’m talking about the experience of giving my first 1-to-1 cooking classes, which I held over live video calls from my home to other kitchens across the world.
I just want to say a big thanks to those first participants. I had a great time. And if you want to join me for your own 90-minute class, I still have slots at a “soft launch” price of just $25 for paid subscribers. I’d love to hear from you!
One of the participants made a request I particularly appreciated for their class: Nordic fish dishes.
This gave me the chance to share what I consider my desert island/death row/perfect meal: blushingly pink salmon with crushed new season’s potatoes, a rich courgette puree and (the thing that makes the entire dish really sing) a butter sauce lifted by a zingy vinegar reduction and spiked with fresh herbs and salmon caviar.
I admit, teaching a dish I’ve cooked in rather fancy restaurants proved a lot to get through in 90 minutes (I may tweak the dish for future lessons) but the finished product is an absolute joy. Fresh but rich, simple but layered. It’s the kind of dish that would impress at any special meal or dinner party among people you really want to treat.
My first class participants have the video recording of their session to look back on, but I thought I’d share the recipe for this lovely dish with you all as well.
The particular techniques you’ll learn below include:
Tips for a slow cooked but still vibrantly coloured puree
Quick-brining for juicy, perfectly seasoned fish
A butter sauce that remains stable for hours (and is so delicious)
Salmon with courgette puree, potatoes, and herb butter sauce
