The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook by Emily Ansara Baines Read Free Book Online

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless salmon fillets
    2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
    1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    4 large egg yolks
    1 tablespoon hot water
    1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    1 pinch cayenne pepper
    Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish
Pour lemon juice and olive oil into a large pan that can easily fit both salmon fillets without much extra room. Add enough water to bring the water up to just below an inch. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper, and add salmon to pan. Add enough water to cover salmon.
Heat salmon over medium-high heat until water is hot but not simmering, about 165°F. Poach until salmon is opaque and firm to the touch. Salmon should reach an internal temperature of 140°F.
In a small saucepan bring a few inches of water to a boil. Lower heat to medium-high, maintaining a gentle boil. In a metal bowl whisk together egg yolks and 1 tablespoon hot water, then place the bowl over, but not touching, the boiling water in the saucepan. Whisk constantly until yolks thicken and turn a light yellow, doubling in volume. Be careful not to scramble the yolks — it is okay to remove bowl from heat every now and then if necessary.
Once the egg yolks have thickened and doubled in volume, whisk in butter, a piece at a time, until it melts and mixes into the hollandaise sauce. Be sure to wait for each piece of butter to melt before adding the next one. Once all of the butter has been added, remove sauce from heat and whisk in the lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and remaining teaspoon of salt.
Drain poached salmon and place fillets on individual dinner plates. Cover with hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with parsley or chives and serve.
Times Gone By
    Some historians suggest that the rise of
grande cuisine
in England was due not to rising tastes among aristocrats such as the Earl of Grantham, but rather as a result of increased competition between restaurateurs. One way to attract more customers was by offering finer, perhaps more foreign food than that offered by competitors.

 

Daisy’s Mustard Salmon with Lentils

    If Daisy wanted to impress Mrs. Patmore with her cooking prowess, she would simply need to make this small but mighty salmon dish. Like Daisy herself, this salmon dish, with the help of the mustard, packs a surprising punch.
YIELDS 4 SERVINGS
For Mustard Sauce
    1 ⁄ 4 cup unsalted butter, softened
    2 tablespoons chopped chives
    1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
    1 teaspoon sugar
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Lentils
    1 cup French green lentils
    2 large carrots, chopped
    2 cups water
    2 cups vegetable broth
    2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
For Salmon
    4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter
To make mustard sauce: In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together butter, chives, tarragon, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
To make lentils: In a heavy saucepan over high heat, bring lentils, carrots, water, and vegetable broth to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, about 25–30 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5–7 minutes. Drain lentils, reserving 1 cup of the liquid.
Reheat drained lentils, carrots, and reserved liquid over medium heat, mixing in 4 tablespoons of butter mixture. Stir until lentils are heated and butter is thoroughly mixed in. Add lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm, covered.
To prepare salmon: Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper.
Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once butter has foamed, sauté salmon, flipping once, until salmon is cooked through and golden, about 8–10 minutes.
Serve salmon topped with remaining butter mixture, over lentils and carrots.
Etiquette