Rustic Salmon

A few years ago, I was at a weekend seminar in Los Angeles. At lunch, I went downstairs to the restaurant and ordered this incredible salmon dish. When I saw how easy it would be to make, I had to recreate it at home. So here it is: my Rustic Salmon. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Click here to view the video demonstration with additional tips.

For the recipe, you'll need the following:

• 2 boneless, skinless salmon filets
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 2 russet potatoes
• Cajun or Creole seasoning to taste
• 1 lemon
• ½ to 1 cup of fresh green beans, ends removed and cut into 2” pieces
• ½ cup kalamata olives, halved
• 1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup hollandaise sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Smoked paprika (optional)

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Begin by partially cooking the potatoes in your microwave oven for about 7 minutes (time may vary depending on your microwave oven).

In the meantime, place 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium high heat. Season the salmon on one side with either the Cajun or Creole seasoning. Place the salmon, seasoned side down in the hot oil. It should sizzle immediately when you place it in the pan.

Once the edges begin to get a little opaque, put the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes, until the salmon just begins to flake. Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside.

While the salmon is in the oven, prep the lemons for broiling. Slice a bit off each end of the lemon so it will stand straight on the plate, then cut the lemon in half. Place each half on a piece of foil under your broiler and depending on your broiler, cook for 5 to 10 minutes. You just want to get a nice char on the lemons.

Heat another pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Coarsely chop the potatoes and place them in the hot pan.

Once they start to brown, add the green beans and toss or stir to combine. Once the green beans have cooked for a few minutes, add the tomatoes and olives. Toss or stir to combine. Continue cooking until the beans are al dente and the tomatoes and olives are heated through, about 5 minutes. If you like your vegetables cooked more thoroughly, feel free to cook a little longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To plate the dish, spread a generous portion of the potato and vegetable mixture on a plate. Break the salmon into bite size pieces and place it atop the potato and vegetable mixture. Finally, drizzle to hollandaise (as much or as little as you like) over the entire dish. Sprinkle the dish with a bit of smoked paprika. Before serving, garnish with the char broiled lemons.

Enjoy!

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Pan Seared Salmon with a Citrus Fennel Salad

This is a simple yet elegant salmon dish that anyone can make. The delicate flavor of the salmon is complimented by the fresh crunch of the fennel and the tartness of the citrus. Finally, we top it with micro greens for another layer of flavor.

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 TBS fennel fronds, chopped
• 2 TBS orange juice
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 boneless, skinless filets of salmon
• 2 TBS Cajun seasoning 
• 2-3 TBS your favorite jalapeno jelly
• 1 small pkg micro greens
• 1 lemon (optional)

Begin by removing the segments from the grapefruit. Do this by peeling the grapefruit with a knife. Remove as much of the white pith as possible. Next, using a sharp knife, carefully remove the flesh from the each of the segments. Discard the membrane.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the grapefruit, the thinly sliced fennel bulb, the chopped fennel fronds, the orange juice and olive oil. Toss to coat and season with a little salt if so desired. Set the Citrus Fennel Salad aside.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Coat both sides of your salmon filets with the Cajun seasoning blend. Then, in a nonstick pan, heat a couple tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil until hot. Add the salmon filets and just sear each side to form a crust. You do not want to cook the salmon all the way. 

Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes to finish off the salmon. When the salmon is finished, you are ready to plate. Place some of the citrus fennel salad on a plate. Top it with a piece of the salmon. Microwave the jalapeno jelly for about 30 seconds until it becomes a liquid. Pour it over the salmon (you just want it to glaze the salmon, not create a puddle). Finally, top it with some of the micro greens. Optional: Cut the lemon in half and place it under a broiler until it begins to char. This will bring out the natural sweetness of the lemon. Garnish each salmon filet with a char broiled lemon half.

 

Enjoy!