Although Piece of Salmon, Lemon and three Vessels is Meléndez’s best-known painting, I initially skipped over the small canvas when selecting the work for this post. The brown area within the oily flesh of the fish was a bother – it does not look particularly appetising which is an issue when it is intended to inspire a recipe. The image was fixed in my thoughts and I kept returning to the painting, even if I was slightly repulsed. My solution was to first not buy a rotting piece of fish, and second, cover the top of the fillet with a crust so that, if there happened to be an unsightly bit, it would be carefully concealed and hidden from view. The crust also enabled the creation of both visual and edible texture – a facet important to Meléndez’s art. The mustard crust appears rough against the smooth coral flesh and provides a bit of crunch among the flakes of fish. I portioned the recipe out for an indulgent dinner for one – the mustard sauce could easily cover two salmon fillets for a less pushy flavour.
Luis Meléndez, Piece of Salmon, Lemon and three Vessels, 1772
oil on canvas, 42 x 62 cm, Museo del Prado
