Seasonal selection: Wild Alaska Salmon
Cedar-Planked Salmon
Yield: 4 servings
1 cedar wood plank, finished on at least one side
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 (6 to 7-ounce) salmon fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Northwest Berry Sauce (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the sides of the cedar plank with oil. Place the salmon on the board, and moisten the fillets with a small amount of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the board in the hot oven and roast the fillets until done, 7 to 8 minutes. Salmon is perfectly cooked when it is still slightly pink in the center of the fillet. Drizzle the Northwest Berry Sauce on the side.
Northwest Berry Sauce
Yield: 2 cups
1 1/2 cups frozen, mixed berries
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 large chopped shallot (or 2 tablespoons chopped onion)
4 to 5 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound very cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Place the berries in a sauce pan with 1/4 cup water and simmer on low heat until the berries are mushy and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
While the berries are cooking, place the white wine, the vinegar, shallot, peppercorns, and heavy cream into another sauce pan. Reduce the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the consistency of corn syrup. Strain out the shallot and peppercorns. Strain the berry mixture into the wine mixture and discard the berry solids. Remove the mixture from heat and whisk, adding the butter 2 to 3 cubes at a time.
Grilled Coho Salmon with Fennel, Leeks & Chanterelles
Yield: 2 servings
2 (6 to 7-ounce) Coho salmon fillets
2 tablespoons butter
5 to 6 sliced chanterelle mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced fennel
1/2 cup sliced leeks
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauté the chanterelles, fennel, and leeks in butter until soft and lightly browned. Add the chicken stock and cream. Reduce for 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce should be of medium thickness and have a rich ivory color. Season with the salt and pepper. Oil and grill the salmon to desired doneness. Remove to a serving plate. Spoon the sauce over the fish, and serve.
Sockeye Salmon with Wild Mushrooms
Yield: 2 servings
3 cups chopped Swiss chard
4 tablespoons light olive oil
3 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms
3 ounces fresh morel mushrooms
8 roasted and skinned cipollini onions
4 ounces unsalted butter
2 (6 to 7-ounce) Sockeye salmon fillets
4 teaspoons chopped shallots
4 teaspoons chopped garlic
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons sundried tomato oil
Blanch the Swiss chard in boiling water until tender. Rinse in cold water. Sauté the chard in the olive oil and set aside. Sauté the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender and add to the Swiss chard. Season and grill (or bake) the salmon. While the fish is cooking, return the mushrooms and chard to a hot sauté pan and add the garlic. Add the wine and reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper. Place the vegetable mixture in the center of each serving plate. Lay the fillets on the vegetables and drizzle a ring of sundried tomato oil around the fish.
Stuffed Salmon with Crab & Shrimp
Yield: 4 servings
1 cup beurre blanc sauce (recipe below)
4 (5-ounce) halibut fillets (not steaks)
6 ounces Dungeness crab meat
6 ounces bay shrimp
6 ounces brie, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare the beurre blanc sauce and set aside. Split the halibut fillets lengthwise to form a pocket for the stuffing. Combine the crab, shrimp, brie, dill, salt, and pepper. Gently blend in the mayonnaise to bind the mixture. Divide the stuffing mixture between the four pocketed fillets. When full, let the flaps cover the stuffing so that only a small amount is exposed. Bake in a lightly buttered baking dish for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to dinner plates and spoon the beurre blanc over the fish.
Beurre Blanc Sauce
Yield: 1 cup
6 ounces white wine
3 ounces white wine vinegar
3 whole black peppercorns
1 shallot, quartered
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 ounces cold butter, cut into pieces
Combine wine, vinegar, peppercorns, and shallot in a non-corrosive saucepan (stainless steel, Teflon, Calphalon). Reduce until the mixture is just 1 to 2 tablespoons and has the consistency of syrup. Add the cream and reduce again until the mixture is 3 to 4 tablespoons and very syrupy. Remove the pan from heat. Add the butter pieces, about 2 ounces at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each piece to melt in before adding more. (If the mixture cools too much, the butter will not melt completely and you will have to reheat it slightly.) Strain and hold warm on a stove-top trivet or in a double-boiler over very low heat until you are ready to use.
Note: To make Lemon Butter Sauce, replace the white wine vinegar with 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Pesto-Roasted Salmon with Spinach
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound salmon fillets
¾ cup pesto (recipe below)
1 ¼ cups orzo pasta
5 ounces frozen, no-salt-added spinach
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon slices (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the salmon into 4 portions and rinse. Set aside while you prepare the pesto. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Cut each salmon steak in half, removing as much of the bone, cartilage, and skin as possible. Coat the fillets in pesto and roast for approximately 8 minutes, or until the fish flakes.
Meanwhile, cook the orzo and spinach according to package directions. Drain the pasta well. Squeeze out the excess moisture from the spinach, then combine together with the pasta. Stir in the nutmeg, cheese, and pepper, and combine it with the pasta. Divide onto 4 plates. Place the
salmon portions on top of the pasta.
Pesto
1 cup fresh basil
¼ cup freshly chopped garlic
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Combine and blend thoroughly in a blender or food processor.
