Salmon with Honey Beurre Rouge and a Ginger Black Pepper Crust

Directions

1. Remove any errant pin bones from salmon. Sprinkle with salt. Combine ginger and black pepper in shallow dish the size of a salmon filet. Press the fish side of each filet in the mixture to coat evenly, place on its skin side and chill for 1/4-1/2 hour. Heat EVOO or butter til hot and pan sear salmon, beginning with fish side down, about 4 minutes. Turn over filets to skin side and turn off heat. Make sauce.
2. Make the Honey Beurre Rouge**: Add wine, shallots, and vinegar to small saucepan . Simmer til liquids have cooked down and shallots are just wet. (Return salmon skillet to medium high heat to finish cooking for 3-4 minutes [recommended rare or medium rare] while you finish the beurre rouge.) With saucepan over lowest heat, add 1-2 cubes of butter at a time, whisking in quickly to blend, until the sauce is smooth and emulsified.(You may not need all the butter.) Whisk in 1 Tablespoon of honey and pinch of kosher salt. Taste and add 2nd Tablespoon of honey if needed. Plate fish , skin side down, and add a wide ribbon of beurre rouge over it.
3. ** If done properly, then the butter will create a thick emulsion sauce. If the butter is added too quickly ,the sauce will drop in temperature and become too thick and cold. If the heat is too high, then the sauce will break and the fat will separate from the solids, making an oily and thin liquid. If done right, the butter will create a thick, smooth sauce.