Did you know that the number one entre served in American restaurants (fast food excluded) is salmon? I was surprised to learn this as I presumed all we cowhands went to the steak house, and maybe we do, but salmon is No. 1. And there are so many wonderful ways to prepare this rich, healthy fish, that we could write a cookbook on the subject or fill this blog for a couple of years. This is one of the fancy ways, but not as fancy as salmon in puff pastry, which I love and will get to in the future…however, merely grilled on a hot fire or poached in dill water in a frying pan, and you've got a meal fit for a king.
Remember, so as not to overwhelm you, I'm presenting this menu a course at a time.
Gourmet Supper for Eight
Appetizers:
Served with Champagne
Crab artichoke dip or tapanade
Crunchy Parmesan Onion Squares
Bruchettas:
Mushroom
Tomato
Zucchini
Soup:
Shellfish in clear bullion
Salad:
Lobster, avocado, fresh grapefruit on butter lettuce
Fish Course:
Salmon and asparagus in parchment (en pappette)
Citrus Sorbet
Beef Course:
Tenderloin strip basted in simple sauce (see recipe)
Mushroom Gravy
Port wine reduction
Red & Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled and braised
Dessert:
Berry mélange in phyllo cups with Cointreau whipped cream
After dinner: Coffee, liquors, and a great single malt
Fish Course
Salmon in parchment, en papette
• 1 or 2 skinned salmon filets, about 2 lbs each
• 16 spears of asparagus (thin)
• 2 lemons
• 1 basket tiny tomatoes or 2 ripe medium tomatoes
• 1 yellow or white onion
• Dill seeds
• Dill weed
• Lemon pepper
• Garlic salt
I much prefer wild caught salmon over raised and artificially colored salmon. Skinned salmon is easier to eat, but skin-on will work. Cut eight pieces of parchment paper in 10” by 15” pieces (it normally comes in 15” wide rolls). I use the office paper cutter. Slice salmon across the filet in 1 ½ to 2 inch wide pieces until you have eight servings 5 to 6 ounces each. Place salmon pieces skin side down on parchment. Sprinkle dill seed, then dill weed, liberally over salmon, say ¼ teaspoon of each, and pat down. Sprinkle lightly with lemon pepper and garlic salt. Line one side of salmon with tomatoes, usually four to six small one or a quarter of a medium diced tomato (blanch and skin before dicing). Chop into ¼” cubes and sauté onion in butter until translucent and line the other side of salmon with onion. Line the top of salmon with two spears of asparagus then top with thin slices of lemon, usually three slices. Fold salmon into parchment paper and place on a sheet pan, then into a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Serve in paper with a “bone bowl” in the center of table for discarded papers.
Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry PinoGrigio
See you soon for more from The Kitchen at Wolfpack Ranch and Cooking Wild & Wonderful. Here's the link for my cookbook for more wonderful "Wild & Wonderful" recipes.
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Wild-Wonderful-gourmets-ebook/dp/B004UICW36/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370961104&sr=1-1&keywords=Cooking+Wild+and+Wonderful+by+L.J.+Martin
Larry, all these recipes look wonderful, and even though I'm not a huge salmon fan, I think I would really enjoy it cooked this way. You have so many great ideas!
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Cheryl, I love salmon many ways: cedar plank, pan roasted, poached, etc. The primary mistake most people make is over-cooking, drying it out. Like all fish, all you need to do is get the translucence out and it's done...of course I love sushi also, but Kat wants her's cooked.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, poaching is a great way to keep it moist. Just lay in a frying pan with a half inch of water (I season with dill) and cover and steam it for about 3 minutes, depending upon thickness, and wa la, a great dish. In paper as this recipe shows also retains the moisture.
ReplyDeleteSounds delish! I love salmon and look forward to seeing your other recipes too!
ReplyDeleteLarry, my son loves sushi--I figure the kind we get here in OK is not nearly as good as closer to the coast, but he loves it. I'm like Kat--I would have to have it cooked. I don't do "raw" anything (except carrots!)LOL All your recipes look so good. You are a master chef!
ReplyDeleteCheryl
Thank you for another great way with salmon. Doris
ReplyDeleteI'm with Kat and Cheryl. Love sushi, but no raw fish. That salmon sounds great. I love salmon, so I'll definitely be trying this recipe.
ReplyDeleteMy mother, rest her soul, used to make salmon croquettes. That was the only fish I would eat, except for solid white tuna straight out of the can, nothing added. Now that my mom's been gone for many years, I only eat the tuna.
ReplyDeleteLarry, bet you'll never make Salmon Ella. (Sorry, couldn't resist)
Jim Griffin
Man, I love me some salmon.
ReplyDeleteI also love Salmon Boy in the Sherman Alexie short story "South by Southwest," but that's a whole different kettle of fish.
ReplyDeleteWild salmon is such healthy food that most of us are trying to eat mmore of it over red meat.
ReplyDeleteYour recipe sounds fantastic. I like grilled fish best. Yummy!
Y'all oughtta head up here to Seattle and do a little salmon fishing. We could have quite a salmon bake. And you can eat it. I'll go get me a burger. LOL. I'm inundated with fish lovers. Sigh.
ReplyDelete