Slow-Roasted King Salmon, Creamed Cucumbers

From the NY Times, 28 June 2006

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced
2 English cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced ¼-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2½ pounds king salmon fillet, skinned, pin bones removed
½ cup chardonnay
1 lemon
½ cup crème fraîche
1 tablespoon minced chives.

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet. Add ginger and shallot and sauté briefly, until softened. Add cucumbers, season with salt and pepper and sauté until almost translucent. Spread in a baking dish large enough to hold salmon. Do not wash skillet.

2. Place salmon on cucumbers. Pour chardonnay around salmon. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with juice of half the lemon. Cover with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Place in oven and cook 45 minutes for medium rare, 50 to 55 minutes for more well-cooked. Because fish is slow-roasted, it will remain quite red in center.

3. Transfer salmon to a large platter with a rim. Transfer cucumber mixture to skillet and cook down for 5 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche and cook until sauce is consistency of heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper and remaining lemon juice. Pour mixture around fish. Sprinkle fish with chives and serve.

6 servings.

And, um damn this sounds good.