Salmone Alla Gigi Recipe

Bring salmon to room temperature

Remove salmon from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels; season both sides with kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Sear the salmon

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place salmon fillets skin-side up and sear 2 minutes without moving to get color. Flip so skin-side down and press gently for 10 seconds to ensure even contact. Reduce heat to medium and cook skin-side down 3–4 minutes until skin is crisp and edges are opaque.

Finish in the oven (optional)

If fillets are thicker than 1 inch or you prefer a more even doneness, transfer skillet to a 200°C (400°F) oven and roast 4–6 minutes until salmon reaches desired doneness (internal temp 52–57°C / 125–135°F). Remove from oven and tent loosely with foil while you finish sauce and asparagus.

Clarify butter for poaching (optional step)

Melt 4 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat until foaming subsides and milk solids separate. Skim foam and reserve clarified butter for poaching the lobster meat pieces in the sauce later. (If you prefer, use whole butter; direction assumes using 4 tbs for poaching and 2 tbs for finishing.)

Sweat aromatics

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. When melted, add minced shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and flame (optional)

Pour in 60 ml dry white wine to deglaze the pan and simmer 1–2 minutes until reduced by about half. Add 30 ml Sambuca and, if comfortable, carefully tilt the pan slightly and ignite with a long match to flambé for 5–8 seconds to burn off some alcohol and deepen flavor; let flames subside. If you do not wish to flambé, simmer Sambuca 1–2 minutes to reduce.

Add stocks and cream

Add 120 ml fish or seafood stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in 150 ml heavy cream and simmer gently 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

Butter-poach lobster

Stir in the reserved clarified butter (or remaining 2 tbs whole butter) to enrich the sauce. Add the chopped cold lobster meat to the simmering sauce and cook very gently 1–2 minutes until warmed through and just tender; avoid vigorous boiling to keep lobster tender.

Finish and season

Remove pan from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm on lowest heat or a very low bain-marie while plating.

Prepare asparagus

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) if roasting, or plan to sauté. Toss trimmed asparagus spears with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast or sauté

To roast: arrange asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast 8–10 minutes until tender-crisp and lightly blistered. To sauté: heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add asparagus and cook 4–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until bright green and tender-crisp.

Finish asparagus

Transfer asparagus to a platter and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and optional microgreens or chopped parsley.

Place 3–4 asparagus spears on each plate. Position a salmon fillet atop or beside the asparagus, skin-side down. Spoon generous portions of the warm Sambuca & butter-poached lobster cream sauce over the salmon and a little onto the asparagus so lobster pieces are visible.

Garnish with a few tarragon leaves or microgreens and serve immediately with lemon wedges at the side.