Salmon Croûte, Brussels Sprouts in Cream and Wild Rice with Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil
Dried oyster, trumpet and morchella mushrooms, shallot, wild rice, (real) white truffle oil, Brussels sprouts, heavy cream, butter, whole nutmeg, black sea salt, white peppercorns, wild Alaskan salmon and a blend of dried onion, garlic, carrot, red pepper, tomato, orange peel, parsley, bay, thyme, basil, celery, lemon peel, oregano, savory, mustard seed, cumin, marjoram, coriander, cayenne and rosemary.
Rinse and begin cooking the wild rice according to package directions.
Moisten a salmon filet with olive oil and season with the spice blend, sea salt and white pepper. Place fish onto an oiled skillet, wrap in a sheet of water-soaked red cedar paper and tie with kitchen string.
About 20 minutes before the rice is done, brown the trimmed and split Brussels sprouts in a little butter until browned. Add heavy cream and simmer partially covered until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
While the vegetables are simmering, saute minced shallot and sliced mushrooms in butter and truffle oil, stirring frequently until just done, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
Place the salmon in a 350 degree oven and cook about 10-12 minutes.
Uncover the vegetables and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add the mushrooms and shallots to the rice and fluff with a fork.
Assemble the plate, topping the Brussels sprouts with seasoned, toasted bread crumbs.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Salmon Casserole (favorite)
High quality, wild pink salmon, whole milk, butter, french roll, lemon, salt & pepper, asiago cheese, celery, roasted red peppers, pasta, fresh dill and white wine.
Cook pasta according to package instructions, leaving slightly under done. Rinse, drain and set aside. Simmer milk well seasoned with salt, pepper and white wine until reduced to the consistency of cream. Add dill and remove from heat.
Drain and flake the salmon and add the vegetables, lemon zest with a little juice, 2/3 of the bread crumbs and cheese and fold in the white sauce.
Turn mixture into a buttered casserole, top with the remaining bread crumbs, cheese and a little smoked paprika and bake at 350 until the sides are bubbly and the topping is nicely browned, about 30 minutes. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.
Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ -
Home smoked salmon (favorite)
For dry cured salmon, see our discussion on gravlax
I love smoked salmon. I don’t love paying $20 per pound for it. What say we try smoking our own?
This is a stove top smoker. I have lined the bottom with aluminum foil, upon which I have spread out a mixture of alder and cherry wood chips.
Next comes the drip pan, rack and the object of our affection, a beautiful piece of wild Alaskan sockeye with a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning.
Turn the burner to medium and slide the cover most of the way shut. As soon as you see the first wisp of smoke, close the lid all the way.
About 10 minutes later, the salmon is ready. I wish you were here to smell this!
Smoked salmon, English muffin & Neufchatel
Its the middle of the week in a still-too-hot Texas September. I really don’t feel like cooking tonight, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to eat!
Here’s a lighter interpretation of a brunch classic ..
Toasted English muffin spread with neufchatel and topped with slivered onions, piles of applewood smoked salmon and fresh tomatoes, seasoned with sea salt, freshly gound pepper and a pinch of herbs de provence.
All the flavor of a bagel-and-a-shmear from the deli, at half the cost (and half the calories). Yum.
