Shallow-poached salmon with cider velouté

Melt the butter over low to medium heat.

Add all the flour and whisk together; lower the heat and cook a white roux about two to two and a half minutes.

Turn the heat off and move the pan onto a cold surface so the roux stops cooking.

Shallow poach the fish: pour a little cider into a small pan, lay the salmon fillets in it, season with salt and pepper, scatter thinly diced shallots (do not overdo them) and add a bay leaf. The liquid should barely reach the fish.

Butter a piece of parchment paper and lay it butter side down over the fish as a paper lid, pressed to the sides like a papillote, with a small hole for steam.

Turn the heat to medium and wait for the liquid to simmer.

Meanwhile heat the oven to 50 degrees Celsius to keep the fish warm.

Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium maximum and cook slowly; usually eight to ten minutes depending on the fillet, these took 12 minutes.

Lift the fillets onto a plate with a little of the juice, cover with the parchment and keep warm in the oven.

Strain the cooking juices into the roux, whisk while hot, and thicken over medium to medium-high heat into a velouté.

Add the cream, mix and heat until hot.

Taste and season with salt and pepper; finish with a teaspoon or two of lemon juice, warm, mix and taste again.

Pour the fish's excess juices into the velouté.

Plate a piece of salmon and spoon the sauce over; serve immediately.