For Jaded, From Paris, Via São Paulo, with Love -- or, Sauces Part 1

This is almost a non-recipe, but it really does make a simple dish seem more sophisticated.

It is a kind of tradition for us to have fish on New Year's eve in my family (as well as the unwanted lentils for prosperity...) and last/this year, we had a roast salmon with this sauce. It's perhaps the easiest dish I've ever seen being made (that's right, I'd just gotten my nails done) and this might be the reason why it's so popular on New Year's eve, especially when there are over 50 guests and it is a "bring-a-dish" type of party. There are no photos of it because it was gone before I could find my camera...

For the salmon:

• 200grms (a little under half a lb) of salmon per person;
• Seasoning: freshly squeezed juice of half a lime, garlic, onion(s), salt&pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh flat-leaf parsley.

For the sauce:

• a little jar of capers (100grms, about 3oz)
• juice of 1/2 lime or more if you like it tart like I do (growl) but my source tells me 1/2 should do it;
• olive oil (the amount depends on how much sauce you want to end up with; so for 4 ppl, about 50-100grams of capers, so about 2 shot glasses (obi's wonderful measurement!) of olive oil;
• optional: a teaspoon of butter.

Prep:

Mince together (preferably with a mortar&pestle or in a mixer/Cuisinart/blender-type thing) the garlic, onion, and lime juice. Rub the lot on the fish about 15-20 mins before putting it in oven. Salt&pepper to taste, but I think less is more here with the pepper. The parsley gets chopped and added, fresh, to the dish when it's ready to be served.

If you get the capers in brine, drain them well, then put them in a dry frying pan on low heat until they've dried a little. Add the olive oil, let it heat up a bit, then mix in the lime juice. Leave to cool.

Put salmon in oven (gas: 180°C - 360°F) about 20 mins per kilo (so 10-15 mins per lb), skin side down, aluminium foil on. When it's roasted for the amount of time indicated, remove aluminium foil, leave it for another 5-10mins max.

Those hoity-toity fan ovens are stronger so...probably half the time should do it, but don't trust me too much on this one, I've burned many a dish at the mum-in-law's due to the poshness of her stove/oven.

This dish is more fun/impressive if there are a lot of people and you get a whole or a half a salmon; it looks better when it's served whole/semi-whole. The sauce should be served, cold, on the side; if everyone likes it, add the whole thing over the salmon in the serving dish. As a side dish, something green and light, slightly bland. Maybe a broccoli purée or some plain green beans.