Salmon wrapped in Pancetta, with Bearnaise, Sake & Caper Sauce
I made this for one, but it was a fair sized salmon fillet so it ended up partially feeding 3. I went straight to the seafood counter this morning at Cold Storage as I knew Mary would like some fish for this special breakfast. I spotted some lovely fresh salmon fillets, then though Pancetta, then some form of sauce and maybe have that on toast as it is breakfast – hmmm and idea starting to come together. Here we go, for one Salmon wrapped in Pancetta, with Bearnaise, Sake & Caper Sauce will need;
- 1 decent sized salmon fillet, skin on;
- 5-6 strips of Pancetta or other cured ham;
- 2-3 tablespoons of bearnaise sauce (yep I cheated, and suped it up);
- 1 jar of capers;
- 1 bottle of Yuzu Sake – or equivalent;
- 1/2 a lemon;
- A nice crusty loaf; and
- Cracked black pepper and sea salt.
Ready, steady, go; here comes how to make my Salmon wrapped in Pancetta, with Bearnaise, Sake & Caper Sauce. It is pretty simple folks;
The Sauce;
- In a bowl add the Bearnaise sauce;
- Add in a teaspoon or so of capers;
- Add in 2 tablespoons of Sake; and
- A pinch of cracked black pepper – if you can use Kampot (best in world);
- Give that a god stir and set aside.
The Fish;
- Lightly drizzles Olive oil over both sides of the fish;
- Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper on both sides;
- Take the strips of Pancetta and wrap them around the fish one at a time, you want to cover the entire fish skin and all;
- Warm a thick bottomed fry pan, and when hot add a little oil;
- In with the fish on the skin side down and leave that alone for 5 minutes or so on high heat;
- Check the bottom, you want the pancetta to have a nice char/crispiness to it;
- Spin her over and repeat on the flesh/meat side of the fillet, again for 5 or so minutes until charred and crispy;
- The flip on to side for 5 and the other side for 5;
- You should now have a beautifully crisp pancetta casing, with the protected and amazingly juicy salmon fillet inside (if you want you could stick a sharp knife in the thick piece of the fillet and check that knife is hot all along, then you know it is cooked all the way through – no cold spots on the knife).
The Plating;
- Take a nice thick piece of the crusty bread and toast it until light brown on both sides, lay that down on a plate;
- Take about half the sauce and spread that over the toasted bread;
- Lay you salmon fillet skin side down on tope of the bread;
- Squeeze one half of the 1/2 lemon over the fish;
- Cut the other half of the lemon to quarters and arrange next to the toast;
- Spoon the remaining half of the sauce in a dollop on the plate, and then drag from the centre with a spoon, to make a nice swirl pattern;
- Cut a chili pepper lengthways a few times, pop in top of the fish as a garnish.
