Ingredients

• 2 sticks of celery
• small bunch parsley
• small bunch tarragon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 leek
• sliced
• 1 fennel bulb
• sliced
• 2 onions
• quartered
• 6 carrots
• peeled and sliced
• 2kg/4lb 8oz asparagus
• trimmings reserved
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 100ml/3½oz white wine vinegar
• 2 lemons
• chopped in half
• 1x 3.5kg/8lb wild salmon
• gutted and scaled
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 1kg/2lb 4oz clarified butter
• kept warm
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• salt and black pepper

Directions

• Tie the celery
• parsley
• tarragon and bay leaves together to make a bouquet garni.
• Half fill a large fish kettle with cold water
• add the bouquet garni
• leek
• fennel
• onions
• carrots
• asparagus trimmings
• salt
• peppercorns
• white wine vinegar and lemons. Place the salmon on top and add more cold water to cover
• if needed. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil
• then remove from the heat.
• In a large pan of boiling water cook the asparagus spears for 1-2 minutes
• or until tender. Drain and plunge into ice-cold water to refresh.
• To make the sauce
• place the egg yolks in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (take care not to let the bowl touch the water) and beat until pale and thickened. Slowly add the warm butter in a thin steady stream
• whisking all the time until you have a smooth emulsion. Beat in the white wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
• To serve
• scoop a piece of fish onto each plate along with some blanched asparagus and a spoonful of sauce.