Salmon Bake With Paprika and Tarragon

A community recipe by MissPrism

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

This recipe was given me by a friend from former Yugoslavia - I don't know if it's a traditional dish there, but the paprika and mace might show an Eastern European influence. Basically it's a richer and more interesting version of fish pie, and very good with a peppery salad like watercress or rocket.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric Cups

For the Salmon Bake

500 grams salmon (fillet, steaks, whatever you like)
500 grams potatoes
butter (a little)
salt
pepper

For the Sauce

500 millilitres milk
50 millilitres cream
50 grams butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
4 tablespoons fresh tarragon (chopped, generous tablespoons)
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon mace (or nutmeg, or more - to taste)
salt
pepper

For the Salmon Bake

17⅔ ounces salmon (fillet, steaks, whatever you like)
17⅔ ounces potatoes
butter (a little)
salt
pepper

For the Sauce

18 fluid ounces milk
2 fluid ounces cream
1¾ ounces butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons fresh tarragon (chopped, generous tablespoons)
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon mace (or nutmeg, or more - to taste)
salt
pepper

Method

Salmon Bake With Paprika and Tarragon is a community recipe submitted by MissPrism and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Wrap the salmon in buttered tinfoil and bake for about 20 minutes until just cooked.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes and make a white sauce: melt the 50g of butter in a saucepan, blend in the flour, add the milk little by little and heat, stirring, until thick.

Then stir in the cream, tarragon, paprika, and mace or nutmeg. Season well.

Turn the oven up to 220 C. Unwrap the fish and flake its flesh into an ovenproof dish, removing any skin or bones.

Pour the sauce over the fish then top with the potato, either sliced or mashed. Dot with butter and return to the oven for about 20 minutes until browned. (If you prefer, you can cook the sauce, fish and potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate them until needed. In this case allow the bake some extra cooking time to get the middle really hot.)

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Wrap the salmon in buttered tinfoil and bake for about 20 minutes until just cooked.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes and make a white sauce: melt the 50g of butter in a saucepan, blend in the flour, add the milk little by little and heat, stirring, until thick.

Then stir in the cream, tarragon, paprika, and mace or nutmeg. Season well.

Turn the oven up to 220 C. Unwrap the fish and flake its flesh into an ovenproof dish, removing any skin or bones.