Ingredients
- 2 kg whole salmon, cleaned, gutted and scaled
- 2 spring onions, roughly chopped
- ½ lemon, thinly sliced
- 6 black peppercorns
- 3 sprigs fresh dill
- oil, to brush
- ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
- 3 bay leaves
Hollandaise
- 175 g butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
Method
1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Gently rinse the salmon well under cold running water and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Stuff the salmon cavity with the spring onion, lemon, peppercorns and dill, spreading each stuffing evenly inside the cavity.
2. Brush a large, double-layered piece of foil with oil and lay the salmon on the foil. Sprinkle with the white wine and arrange the bay leaves over the top. Fold the foil over and wrap the salmon tightly, ensuring that it is totally covered.
3. Place the salmon in a shallow baking dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the salmon in the oven for 45 minutes with the door closed.
4. Undo the foil and carefully remove the skin on the top side of the salmon. Carefully flip the salmon onto the serving plate and peel away the skin from the other side. Pull out the fins and any visible bones. Allow to cool to room temperature.
5. To make the hollandaise, melt the butter in a saucepan, skim any froth from the surface of the butter and allow to cool to room temperature. Mix the yolks with 2 tablespoons water and whisk for 30 seconds, or until the mixture is pale and foamy. Place in a small saucepan over very low heat and whisk for about 2–3 minutes, or until the egg mixture is thick and the whisk leaves a trail—do not let the pan get too hot or the yolks will scramble. Remove from the heat. Add the cooled butter, a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. Do not use the milky butter whey left at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with the baked salmon.
