Skip to main content

Poached Arctic Char with Basil-Tarragon Mayonnaise

2.5

(2)

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Plant Animal Seafood Sea Life Lobster Vegetable and Platter
Poached Arctic Char with Basil-Tarragon MayonnaiseMichael Graydon & Nikole Herriott

This herbaceous aioli is also terrific spooned over simply prepared vegetables, such as boiled new potatoes or roasted ramps.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

2 large egg yolks*
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves plus 2 sprigs
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
1 garlic clove, smashed
2 tablespoons kosher salt plus more
6 6-ounce arctic char steaks, each about 1 1/4" thick
2 bunches asparagus (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blend egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard powder in a blender. Add basil and 1/4 cup tarragon. With machine running, drizzle in 3/4 cup oil; blend until smooth. Transfer mayonnaise to a small bowl, cover, and chill.

    Step 2

    Combine tarragon sprigs, garlic, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and 6 cups water in a large deep, lidded skillet and bring to a boil. Add fish, cover, and remove skillet from heat. Let stand until fish is just opaque in the center, 6-8 minutes.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes; drain

    Step 4

    Serve fish with asparagus; top with mayonnaise, drizzle with some oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.

    Step 5

    DO AHEAD: Mayonnaise can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Read More
Like tiny tomato galettes and chimichurri grilled shrimp.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Choose your own adventure at the supermarket with marinated artichokes, beans, peppers, and of course, olives.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like swordfish steaks with tomatoes and Peruvian-style tofu.
A reader favorite for almost 50 years, zhuzhed up for today’s cooks.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Loosely inspired by pasta Amatriciana, a few pounds of zucchini stand in for tomatoes.