When DAISY RYAN was able to return home to her California home to open Bell’s Bistro, a restaurant with a French influence, She soon learned to serve a large crowd with a style that felt as empathetic and joyful. One of her strategies is an easy yet elegant approach to the ingredients.

The 3rd Slow Food Fast contribution is an excellent example of an elegant dinner of new potatoes boiled with silky salmon and a tarragon-tomato-rich aioli. The oil-poaching process, as does the sauce, makes the fish soft and flaky. While rich is a simple cook-ahead recipe, Ryan considers it “good on absolutely anything.”

“This dish is made up of just three parts,” the chef explained, “but every one is perfect.”

Olive-Oil Poached Salmon With Baby Potatoes and Tomato Aioli

Since the entire dish can be served hot or at room temperature, the chef, Daisy Ryan, calls this a delicious dish that doesn’t require any effort to cook.

Ingredients

• Two tablespoons of olive oil plus 1-2 quarts to poach
• Two tablespoons of finely chopped tarragon plus an additional garnish
• One small shallot minced
• One can of tomato cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup of white wine
• Two anchovies Finely chopped
• Two tablespoons of Champagne vinegar
• 1 cup tomato paste
• One teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds of baby potatoes
• Salt Kosher
• One tablespoon butter
• One teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
• 1. teaspoon coriander ground
• The zest of one lemon and four lemon wedges
• 4 salmon filets (1 1/2-2 pounds total)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

1. Set a medium-sized pan on moderate heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, two tablespoons of chopped tarragon tomato, shallot, white wine vinegar, anchovies, cayenne, and tomato paste. Mix well, using a spoon to break up the tomatoes and anchovies. Cook until sauce is reduced and becomes dark approximately 7 minutes. Set aside.
2. In the meantime, put potatoes in a pot and add salted water that is covered. Boil until tender, around 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and add them to a dry pool. Mix in butter, one tablespoon of oil, Aleppo pepper, coriander, lemon zest, and some salt to ensure the potatoes are evenly coated.
3. As potatoes cook, prepare salmon. Add about 3 inches of oil into the pot. (Depending on how thick your fillets are, you might require greater or lesser oil. Try to cover them completely.) Warm the oil over medium heat until it becomes bubbly but not boiling, around 3 – 5 mins. Season salmon with salt then put fillets of salmon into the oil. Cook gently until flaky in approximately 5 minutes. Remove cooked fish from the oil and place on a platter. Clean any skin.
4. Mix 1/4 cup chilled tomatoes with the mayonnaise until well blended. Add salt as needed. For serving, divide the salmon, potatoes, salmon, and sauce among four plates. Decorate each plate with fresh lemons, tarragon, and wedges of lime.