Ingredients

  • For sauce
  • 2 large bunch fresh tarragon (about 1 ounce total)
  • 1 large bunch fresh chives (about 2/3 ounce)
  • 1 large shallot
  • 3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • For fish
  • 2 1/2 cups dry white wine
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 3 lbs salmon fillets, with skin
  • 1 1/2 lbs pink fingerling potatoes or 1 1/2 lbs other new potatoes
  • Garnish
  • 1/2 lb cooked sugar snap pea, diagonally cut into thirds

Method

  • Make sauce:
  • Pick enough tarragon leaves to measure 1/2 cup (do not pack).
  • Chop enough chives to measure 1/3 cup.
  • Coarsely chop shallot.
  • In a food processor puree tarragon, chives, and shallot with remaining sauce ingredients until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
  • Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
  • Bring sauce to cool room temperature before serving.
  • Make Fish:
  • In a deep 10-inch skillet bring wine and water to a simmer, covered.
  • Cut salmon into 6 pieces and season with salt and pepper.
  • Submerge 3 salmon pieces, skin sides down, in simmering liquid (add hot water if necessary to just cover salmon) and poach at a bare simmer, covered, 8 minutes, or until just cooked through.
  • Transfer cooked salmon with a slotted spatula to a platter to cool and poach remaining salmon in same manner.
  • When salmon is cool enough to handle, peel off skin and if desired with a sharp knife scrape off any dark meat.
  • Salmon may be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
  • Bring salmon to cool room temperature before serving.
  • Assemble:
  • Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
  • In a steamer set over boiling water steam potatoes until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Spoon sauce onto 6 plates and arrange some potatoes in a circle, overlapping slightly, on top of sauce .
  • Season potatoes with salt and arrange salmon on top of potatoes.
  • Garnish salmon with peas.