When you present a whole fish fillet at the table, whether you’ve picked it up from the store or caught it yourself, it’s the kind of dramatic gesture that guests love. For this party-ready dish, chef Ned Bell from Naramata Inn keep the preparation simple and lets the sauce vierge do the talking. Uncooked and loaded with herbs, this classic French sauce is brighter than the usual creamy sauces associated with French cuisine. It’s a stunner with salmon but is delicious with tuna, too.

Recipe from Chef Bell’s best-selling book, Lure.

Serves 8

Ingredients

Sauce Vierge

4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced (about 3 cups)
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
3 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Salmon

1 (2 to 3 lb) any salmon fillet
Olive oil, for brushing the salmon and for drizzling
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 lemon

Instructions

Combine all the sauce vierge ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the BBQ to 350°F. Brush the skin with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Place the salmon skin side down onto the grate. Add the lemon cut side up beside the salmon, and cook for about 15-17 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part should read 120°F to 125°F. Set aside to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add a few generous spoonfuls of sauce vierge on top, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the charred lemon.

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