Equipment
Ingredients
Salmon
- 300 g salmon fillets, skinless preferred
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 g sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Fresh Herb Sauce
- 30 g flat leaf parsley, stems removed
- 15 g fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g capers, drained and rinsed
- 5 g dijon mustard
Vegetables and Eggs
- 250 g asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- 6 quail eggs, room temperature
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 726 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 61 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 872 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 34 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Cholesterol
- 315 mg
- Potassium
- 992 mg
- Calcium
- 106 mg
- Iron
- 6.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 76 mg
- Phosphorus
- 503 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 270 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 42 mg
- Vitamin D
- 16.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 12.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 323 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 5.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.55 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.66 mg
- Niacin
- 14.6 mg
- Folate
- 159 mcg
- Water
- 265 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
In a blender or food processor, combine the parsley, dill, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, capers, and Dijon mustard. Blend until a smooth, vibrant green emulsion forms. Set aside.
Place the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub gently to coat. Season evenly with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Bake the salmon in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 63C/145F and the flesh should flake easily with a fork.
While the salmon bakes, fill a saucepan with water and bring to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the quail eggs into the water using a slotted spoon. Boil for exactly 2 minutes and 15 seconds for soft, jammy yolks.
Immediately transfer the quail eggs to a mixing bowl filled with ice water to halt the cooking process. Let them sit for 5 minutes before gently peeling them.
Return the saucepan of water to a boil. Add the trimmed asparagus and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp and bright green.
Remove the asparagus from the boiling water and immediately rinse under cold water or transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
Divide the blanched asparagus between two plates. Top each pile with a baked salmon fillet. Cut the peeled quail eggs in half and arrange them around the fish. Generously drizzle the fresh herb sauce over the entire dish.
Chef's Notes
- To effortlessly peel quail eggs, roll them gently on the countertop beneath your palm to shatter the shell completely before submerging in water to slip the shell off.
- Always wash your hands, cutting boards, and utensils with hot soapy water after handling raw salmon to prevent cross-contamination.
- If you prefer your asparagus with roasted notes rather than clean blanched flavors, you can toss the spears in olive oil and add them to the baking sheet with the salmon for the last 10 minutes of roasting.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store herb sauce separately from salmon and vegetables. Eggs are best consumed immediately.
Reheating: Reheat salmon gently in a 135C oven until just warm. Serve asparagus and sauce cold or at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Quail eggs tear or pit while peeling
Cause: The inner membrane adhered tightly to the shell due to lack of an immediate ice shock.
Fix: Crack the shell completely all over and peel the eggs submerged under a bowl of cold water to help water slip under the membrane.
Prevention: Ensure the water is at a rolling boil when eggs go in, and transfer immediately to an ice bath when the timer goes off.
Herb sauce turns dull or brownish-green
Cause: The acid in the lemon juice reacted with the chlorophyll in the herbs over a prolonged period.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once oxidized, but flavor will remain largely intact.
Prevention: Blend the sauce as close to serving time as possible.
Salmon is dry and chalky
Cause: Overcooking in the oven.
Fix: Mask the dryness by applying extra herb sauce directly over the flesh.
Prevention: Check the temperature at the 11-minute mark. Remove from the oven at 60C/140F as carryover cooking will push it to the safe temperature.
Cultural Context
This dish draws heavily from French spring culinary traditions, resembling a lighter, deconstructed Nicoise. The pairing of delicate quail eggs with tender spring asparagus and a vibrant, acidic herb emulsion highlights the seasonal transition and the European philosophy of letting fresh, high-quality ingredients speak for themselves without heavy masking.
