Salmon with Champagne Cream Sauce, Mom's Roasted Dill Potatoes

I had opened a bottle of champagne and only drank about one glass worth, so I decided to look for a recipe using champagne. Champagne, butter and cream = heaven. I adapted this recipe from one of Emeril's and it doesn't disappoint one bit. I will make it again for sure, but if I use salmon, I will roast it or pan sear it, rather than poaching it. Poaching makes the salmon rather flavorless in my opinion, no matter how flavorful the poaching liquid is. I didn't bother straining the sauce. I will make it again for sure. It would be great with shrimp and pasta or maybe even a lobster ravioli. In order for C to eat it, maybe I will try a chicken and spinach ravioli with it. No matter what, I will make it again for sure!

My mom has been making these potatoes for years. They are really easy and always turn out great. You can mix up the herbs, seasonings and even add cheese.

Champagne Poached Salmon

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups Brut Champagne
1/8 cup shallots
3 sprigs fresh dill
1 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skin removed
Champagne Cream Sauce, recipe follows

Grease a 2-quart straight-sided saute pan with the butter. Add the Champagne, shallots, dill sprigs, chopped dill, and salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the fish to the pan and spoon the poaching liquid over them. Cook uncovered until the salmon is firm and cooked through, about 10 minutes. (If the poaching liquid does not cover the fish, spoon the liquid over the fillets as they cook.)

Using a slotted spatula, remove the fillets from the pan and blot excess liquid with a paper towel. Serve with the Champagne Cream Sauce.

Champagne Cream Sauce

1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup Champagne
3/4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Champagne vinegar

In a saucepan, combine the shallots and Champagne. Bring to a boil and cook until almost all liquid evaporates, about 6 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, bring to a boil and simmer until cream thickens and coats the back of a spoon, and is reduced by nearly 50 percent in volume, about 3 minutes.

Whisk in the butter until smooth and strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season, to taste, with salt, pepper, and vinegar and serve immediately over fish or shellfish.

Note: If sauce is made in advance, keep warm in a bain marie over barely simmering water.

Roasted Dill Potatoes

2 tablespoons butter
8 to 10 red potatoes, cut into eighths
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced

Preheat oven to 425. Add butter in a glass gratin pan. Melt butter in the oven. Toss the potatoes in the melted butter and dill. Salt and pepper to taste. Roast potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes.

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