Serves about 8 main portions

 

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 ounces chopped shallots
• 1 1/2 cups of dry Vermouth
• 7 ounces cold smoked salmon chunks
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups half & half (consisting of 50% heavy cream and 50% whole milk)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper from the mill
• 1 lemon for juice as needed

METHOD

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the shallots and a pinchof salt and sweat them, stirring, until the shallots are tender without taking anycolor, about 2 minutes. Add the dry Vermouth, bring it to a boil, simmer untilreduced by half to burn out the alcohol for about 3 minutes. Add the smokedsalmon chunks and the tomato paste and cook it lightly, stirring, until thesalmon disintegrates, it takes about 2 minutes. Finally add half & half and asmall pinch each of salt and pepper and bring to a simmer (keeping in mindthat the smoked salmon is salted). Don’t over salt it because the salmonis briny on its own. Simmer stirring occasionally, until reduced by about 1/3and it starts to thicken. This will take a little time, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and puree start at low speedand gradually speed it up when it’s safe to do so, keeping in mind that themixture is hot and sometimes pieces of ingredients can jump when blending.Do not put your face over the container while blending and always secure thetop by pressing it down with your hands on it to stay safe until very smoothand the color deepens, 1 to 2 minutes. It is important to blend it for a while toextract the most out of the smoked salmon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve /chinois into a saucepan using a rubber spatula to extract all the juices. Oncethis is done bring the whole sauce to a simmer and thicken it with the slurry,using it sparingly to control the thickening of the sauce (remember, you canalways add more but not take away! Same goes with salt while cooking.)Check for seasoning, this is the best time to rectify your taste with salt andpepper.

Unless the sauce is used right away you have the option of cooling it downand keep it for about 2 days after cooling it quickly in the refrigerator. To coolit properly whisk the sauce in a stainless-steel bowl over an ice bath until it iscompletely cold steering constantly to accelerate the process.Just before using it, whisk in the lemon juice with an immersion blender.This sauce is a great combination with either spaghettis or fettuccine cookedal dente with some nice pan sautéed mushrooms all tossed together, a handfulbaby arugula leaves and finished with a few dill sprigs on top.