As a Milk Street article informed us, barigoule is a Provençal braise of fresh artichokes in white wine, with aromatics such as garlic and thyme. The name “barigoule” comes from a type of mushroom once said to be a part of the dish; the moniker stuck even though the fungi no longer are added to modern versions.
Here, cremini mushrooms are added for their earthy depth and meaty texture that balance the acidity of the wine and complement the mildness of the artichokes. To make this doable on a weeknight, use canned artichokes rather than fresh, but to keep their flavor as bright as possible, cook them in the broth only for as long as it takes to heat them through.
Our changes? Instead of four, 6-ounce filets, we bought a 1 1⁄2-pound single filet and cut it into 3 strips, which gave each of us an 8-ounce portion. Similarly, 4 ounces of mushrooms just didn’t float our boat, so we doubled that amount to 8 ounces.
Another alteration was cutting the artichoke hearts in half instead of quartered, because they were on the small side to begin with. Finally, because our salmon filets were a bit larger, and the fact that prefer ours less translucent, we simmered them until they reached an internal temperature of 130°. All changes are noted below.
Don’t forget to turn down the heat after adding the salmon to the skillet. Gentle poaching ensures the fillets cook evenly and stay moist. Don’t cover the skillet while cooking the salmon; too much heat will be trapped inside, resulting in overcooked fillets.
Salmon with Barigoule
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz. salmon fillets, each about 1 inch thick
- Kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 1 sprig tarragon, plus 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained, cut into halves or quarters if whole
- 2 Tbsp. salted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Directions
- Season the salmon all over with salt. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the moisture released by the mushrooms has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic, shallots, tarragon sprig and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until the garlic is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Place the salmon boned side down in the pan, reduce to low and cook at a very gentle simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Flip the fillets and cook until the thickest parts reach 130°F or are slightly translucent when cut into, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Using a wide metal spatula, transfer the salmon to wide, shallow serving bowls.
- Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high, then add the artichokes and butter; cook, stirring, until the artichokes are heated through and the butter is emulsified into the sauce, about 1 minute.
- Off heat, taste and season with salt. Remove and discard the tarragon sprig, then spoon the mixture over and around the salmon and sprinkle with the chopped tarragon.
Recipe by Courtney Hill for Milk Street
Accounting for Taste 