Name: Salmon en Cocotte with Leeks and White Wine
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 skinless salmon fillet , (1 3/4- to 2-pound), about 1 1/2 inches at thickest part (see note); Salt and ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 2 medium leeks , white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and rinsed thoroughly; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons); 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 2 pieces

Why This Recipe Works

We knew it would be important to have uniform pieces of fish that would cook evenly for our salmon en cocotte recipe, so we settled on using a whole center-cut fillet, which we then cut into evenly sized individual fillets. We also found it best to remove the skin from the salmon so the flesh of the fish would pick up the flavors of the aromatics. Next, we decided on the aromatics for our salmon en cocotte recipe—in this case, leeks, thyme, and garlic. After heating them until fragrant, we added our salmon on top of the leeks and placed the covered pot in the oven to cook.

Before You Begin

To ensure uniform pieces of fish that cook at the same rate, we prefer to buy a whole center-cut fillet and cut it into evenly sized individual fillets ourselves. If buying individual fillets, make sure they are the same size and thickness. If the fillets are thicker or thinner than 1 1/4 inches, you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly. If you can only find skin-on fillets, be sure to remove the skin before cooking or the sauce will be greasy; have the fishmonger do this for you. You can substitute arctic char or cod fillets for the salmon.

Instructions

Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 250 degrees. Trim any whitish fat from the belly of the fillet, then cut the fish into 4 equal pieces. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the leeks, thyme, and a pinch of salt, cover, and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat.

Lay the salmon, skinned side down, on top of the leeks. Place a large sheet of foil over the pot and press to seal, then cover tightly with the lid. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook until the salmon is opaque and flakes apart when gently prodded with a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer the fish to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Stir the wine into the leeks in the pot and simmer over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the salmon and serve.