Gatsby’s Salmon Loaf Recipe with Champagne White Sauce
This Salmon Loaf Recipe with white sauce made from champagne is a celebration of the 1920s—elegant, nostalgic, and totally dinner-party ready. Inspired by The Great Gatsby, this Gatsby recipe nods to the culinary trends of the era, when salmon loaf recipes and creamy salmon loaf sauces were household favorites.
Servings: 6 slices
Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned salmon or fresh salmon
- ½ cup rich butter crackers like Ritz or Club, crushed
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- ½ lemon , juiced
- ⅛ cup red onion , chopped
- ⅛ cup fresh dill , chopped
- ⅛ cup fresh parsley plus more for garnish, chopped
- ⅛ cup fresh chives , chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Lemon wedges for garnish
Champagne White Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 to 1 ½ cups champagne or prosecco
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon , chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon multicolor peppercorns , freshly ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a mini 4 in x 6 in loaf pan.
Prepare Salmon
- If using canned salmon: Use a strainer to rinse the salmon in cold water. Using your fingertips go through the salmon very meticulously, picking out any bones or spines of the fish. Skip to the next step to make the loaf.If poaching fresh salmon: Measure 3 inches of water into a wide-rimmed saucepan. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and 3 tablespoons wine vinegar for every quart of water. Bring to a boil.Add the salmon. Bring to just below a simmer and cook for about 6 minutes until the flesh has turned from translucent to opaque and when pressed with your finger it “feels lightly springy”, according to Julia Child. It should still be juicy. Tip: if the Fish is resistant and flaky its overdone.Remove the salmon with a slotted spatula and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the extra water.
For the Loaf:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the salmon, crackers, eggs, milk, garlic, lemon juice, onion, dill, parsley, chives, mustard, and paprika. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until combined, about 3 to 4 minutes. The wetter the mixture, the moister the salmon loaf will be after it bakes.
- Place the mixture in the prepared loaf pan, bake until it is golden brown and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.
Champagne White Sauce:
- Meanwhile, make the white sauce. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and heat the oil. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of flour, whisking constantly, until the flour takes on a brown biscuity color. Slowly add the cream and champagne, whisking constantly. Add the tarragon, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and then adjust the heat to keep a gently boil until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and put into a gravy boat as an option to drizzle over the salmon loaf.
- Once the Salmon loaf is baked, let rest for about 10 minutes. Slice and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and chopped parsley.