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Chef critique

King Salmon with Lemon-Sage Brown Butter

This is a meticulously crafted recipe with outstanding seasoning and temperature accuracy, though the vegetables could use a bit more oil for optimal roasting.

Score: 9/10

Suggested fixes

  • Increase the olive oil quantity to 1 tablespoon for the potatoes and 1 tablespoon for the Brussels sprouts to ensure even roasting.
  • Adjust the total olive oil in the ingredient list to reflect the increases (e.g., 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon).
  • In step 6, specify tossing the Brussels sprouts in a medium bowl.
  • In step 6, change '5/8 teaspoon' to '1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon'.

Issues

  • medium / cookability: Using only 1/2 tablespoon (1.5 teaspoons) of olive oil for 12 ounces of potatoes and another 1/2 tablespoon for 12 ounces of Brussels sprouts is very scant. This makes it difficult to coat the vegetables evenly and increases the risk of them drying out or sticking to the pan. Consider increasing the oil to 1 tablespoon per 12 ounces of vegetables.
  • low / clarity: Step 6 asks the cook to toss the Brussels sprouts but doesn't mention using a bowl. Since Step 5 instructed tossing the potatoes directly on the cold baking sheet, the cook might not anticipate needing a medium bowl to toss the sprouts before adding them to the hot baking sheet.
  • low / ingredient_usage: The measurement '5/8 teaspoon fine sea salt' for the Brussels sprouts is mathematically precise but slightly awkward for home cooks. Expressing it as '1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon' would be easier to measure with standard spoons.

Strengths

  • Mathematically perfect application of salt percentages across the meat and vegetable components.
  • Excellent adherence to the Careme temperature guidelines, pulling the salmon at 125°F for a perfect medium-rare.
  • Smart pacing and sequencing, utilizing the staggered vegetable roasting time to brown the butter and prepare the salmon.
  • Great sensory cues and safety tips for browning the butter, such as waiting for the bubbling to subside before adding lemon juice.