Ingredients

Cauliflower puree:
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter, cubed
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Sauce:
1/2 cup 'Oktoberfest Style' wheat beer (recommended: Marzen)
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons dried hops, divided
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3 egg yolks
1 cup clarified butter
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Salmon:
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
8 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh chervil

Directions

For the puree, boil
cauliflower in salted water until very tender. Drain well, stir in heavy cream, and puree
with an immersion blender. Add cubed butter and further blend to smooth out the puree.
Season, to taste, with salt and white pepper and keep warm.

For the sauce, simmer beer, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the hops (reserving the rest), thyme,
and white pepper until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain and allow to cool to room
temperature.

Add the egg yolks to a double boiler fitted over a pan of barely simmering water. (In
order to avoid making scrambled eggs, the water level should not touch the bottom of the
double boiler bowl.) Begin beating the egg yolks with a whip and add 1 tablespoon of the
beer reduction. Beat until the yolks are thick, about 5 minutes. Crumble the remaining
hops into the reduction to intensify the flavor.

Remove the entire double boiler assembly (pot and all) to a heatproof surface like a large
cutting board. Lift the double boiler from the pot and place a clean damp kitchen towel
over the pot, tuck the loose ends of the towel under the base of the pot, and return the
double boiler bowl to its position so that it sits atop the damp towel. Pour some of the
clarified butter into the bowl in a slow steady stream while whisking constantly. As the
mixture thickens, alternate some of the beer reduction with the butter, until all of the

butter and the reduction are emulsified. Add the cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Add salt,
if needed. Adjust the thickness of the sauce by beating in additional warm water. Set
aside in a warm area until ready to use. (Please note that this sauce cannot be made in
advance, so try to time it as closely as possible to serving time.)

Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Season
the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and sear flesh-side down first, leaving
undisturbed for the first few minutes to allow the caramelization process to begin and to
prevent tearing of the flesh. To complement the taste of the beer reduction, it would be
desirable to put a hard sear on the salmon, which means leaving it to sear until it is a
dark (but not burnt) golden brown. Flip the fish and sear the other side the same way.
Remove from heat to let rest and cover to carryover cook until it flakes.

Spoon some cauliflower puree on plate. Top with a piece of salmon, some sauce, and a sprig
of chervil.