Recipe for Salmon and Sautéed Asparagus with Enhanced Sauce.

Cooking asparagus in water: Peel the asparagus into a tapered shape and cook them in boiling water. Trim the ends to uniform length and remove any overly fibrous parts. Green asparagus should be peeled in the same way as other varieties. Hold the tip of the asparagus gently without pressing, and lay the end on the cutting board. Slide the peeler from the tip down to the end. Peel all around in the same manner, taking care to maintain a tapered shape. (the thinnest part at the tip) Finish by evening out the peeling at the tip for aesthetic purposes rather than culinary ones. Tie the asparagus into a bundle up to the tips to prevent them from getting damaged during cooking. Be careful not to tie too tightly to avoid breaking them. It is the entanglement that keeps the asparagus together. Rinse and plunge them into boiling salted water. Maintain a moderate boil to avoid denaturing the asparagus. Do not cover the pot. A few minutes are enough! Cooking is very quick (about 8 to 10 minutes). To check for doneness, pierce near the tip. A knife should enter easily, but there should still be some firmness. Stop the cooking in ice water to set the chlorophyll and retain that beautiful green color. Drain the asparagus and untie them. Reserve on paper towels.

Sauce preparation: Finely chop the shallot. Peel the lemon and cut it into segments, then dice. Cut the slices of bread into cubes. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Brown the bread cubes in the browned butter, then set them aside on paper towels. In the remaining butter, sauté the shallot. Once it is cooked, add the capers and lemon cubes. Continue to cook until the lemon softens. Add the cream, chives, and a spoonful of fish stock. Mix and adjust the seasoning. Let the sauce simmer until it thickens.

Cooking the salmon: Melt the butter in a pan. When it turns brown, place the salmon pieces skin side down. Season with salt and pepper, sear them on all sides, then set them aside. Leave them in the pan covered, but with the heat turned off to prevent overcooking.

Cooking asparagus in butter: Melt the butter in a large pan. Sauté the asparagus in the nutty butter. Lightly brown them, then season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

To finish my plating: Place a little sauce at the bottom of the plates. (in a circle) Add 5 to 6 asparagus on top. Place the salmon on the asparagus. Drizzle a bit of sauce over the salmon. Serve the sauce separately in a small saucer.