Salmon poached in white wine with shallot, thyme, and bay leaf. Used the remaining poaching liquid to create a velouté (first time!). I'm a home cook venturing into French cuisine and would love advice on plating this dish. The plate felt too large and I wasn't sure how to fill the space. Is the roasted skin overly pretentious?
by StudentDebt_Crisis
13 Comments
The flavors are classic and sound good
Roasted skin is nice maybe I would break it into three and have the salmon on top of the sauce, and for the lemon maybe do a wedge just so it’s more functional if you want to squeeze it
You’re right, the plate is too big, too much empty space. It might also look better with a slightly darker plate to highlight the bright colors.
is the lemon there to squeeze on the fish? I’d go with a small wedge of lemon.
The roasted skin is awesome, i couldn’t imagine eating a salmon dish without some crispy skin
I agree the salmon skin looks crispy and lovely, I would break it into pieces. A lemon wedge if you’re meant to squeeze it, a twist if it’s for aesthetics. I think you need something to sop up that lovely sauce; some rice pilaf or a piece of a nice baguette.
Looks good I like the little flair of the skin. It’s important to think of *how* the dish is going to eat when thinking about plating; here you’re going to awkwardly be fucking around with the lemon slice trying to squeeze it on this and then you’re gonna end up having to pick out the seeds when they inevitably come out. I think a single deseeded wedge of lemon or no lemon (just put it in the sauce) would work just fine. Have fun coming up with some accompaniments since it is just a piece of fish on a plate right now
I wouldn’t cover the fish, lets see that nice pink salmon. And the lemon slices look like an afterthought. Maybe supreme some lemon segments and cut those up for granish?
Isn’t this like, not the sub for this?
Yes the plate is too big. As a diner the salmon skin is exciting. Properly crisp salmon skin is something we need more of. I would pick that up and savor it.
Is that the whole dish? No veg? Nothing else?
I want to see the fish so I would prefer the sauce under the fish. I want to know it’s cooked right. Skin is dope but I have no idea what to do with lemon rounds.
Just protein? No side? And while I understand wedges aren’t very pretty, sliced lemon doesn’t do any good here. But the fish looks excellent.
Or you could add a starch or veg side to fill the negative space I would be mad just getting a plate of salmon and skin you really want people to feel like it’s a meal not just a fine dining experience
I am a fine dining sous chef at a French restaurant and I have a signature dish with lemongrass veloutè sauce! First of all, very nice job with the sauce. The fish looks cooked well and I like the skin as well. Nice and crispy. If anything, use different garnish other than lemons. Maybe lemon zest instead? And yes smaller plate would make it look more elegant 🙂 good job you’re doing good. Keep going op
Love the added crispy skin. How I’d plate the dish, smaller plate to start and If you have a choice I’d go with a darker plate to bring out the colours more. I’d use the sauce as a base and lay the poached salmon over the sauce gotta see that lovely pink colour. Keep the skin whole it’s too perfect to break or cut up and I’d go for some lemon zest and rough chop curly parley leaves for garnish. Do love me some micro greens if you have them for garnish