Fresh Salmon - Three Ways

Easter 2011 and Easter means long weekend on the boat. The lateness of Easter this year, meant the weather was a little inclement, but nice to be out on the water.
I was lucky enough to manage to get a side of Salmon for $24. Salmon is a great fish to take on the boat. It's oiliness means the "Keeping Power" is superior to white fish.
I spread through 3 different meals and I have to share.
Got first idea from Chef Michael Smith
I didn't have any horseradish so I used Wasabi which worked.
And Braised leeks as an accompaniment
Potato Encrusted Salmon

The Salmon


* 2 russet Potatoes baked and chilled
* 2 tablespoons Horseradish
* 2 tablespoons Oil
* Salt & Pepper
* 4 Fillets Salmon 6 ounces each


The Pickle Sauce


* 2 dill Pickles chopped
* 1 small bunch of Dill chopped
* 1 green onion chopped
* 1 tablespoon Mustard
* ½ cup mayonnaise
* Juice of half a Lemon
* Salt & Pepper

The Salmon

1. Preheat oven to 190C
2. Grate potatoes through the large holes of a box grater into a medium sized bowl.
3. Stir in horseradish, oil and salt and pepper mixing well.
4. Pat crust onto top surface of filets and place in a baking pan or on a baking sheet.

5. Bake until salmon is cooked through and the crust is golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.

The Pickle Sauce

1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
2. Serve with salmon
I just served with a wedge of lemon but the pickle sauce would be excellent.

Salmon Number Two
I have always loved rice bakes and this has some excellent flavours
Lovely winey leeks and carrots mixed with salmon
If you want to be gluten free use rice flour or cornflour to thicken the sauce.



Salmon and Rice Bake
1 piece of Salmon Skin on
200 gms per person

Season and oil salmon skin on
Into hot pan presentation side down
Sear about 2 minutes
Turn over cook about 1 minute
Add 150 mls white wine

Let it bubble up
Cook about 2 minutes
Turn heat off and cover
Cool in pan

Remove salmon and flake

Add 2 tbs butter to the liquor
Add 1 leek chopped
1 carrot peeled and grated
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plus 1 tablespoon dried tarragon 
or fresh is best if you have it

Sauté till soft
Good slosh wine let wine evaporate
Add 2 tbs flour
Cook about 3 minutes gently
Add 1 cup milk let thicken you may need a bit more milk
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary

Take a pot of boiling salted water
Add 1 cup rice
Cook about 5 minutes
Drain it should be separate grains
Don't over cook as it it has more to go in the oven

Pre heat oven to 180C
Grease a souffle dish with butter (or oil)

Now time to assemble
Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over the bottom of the dish
Cover with half of the salmon
Then half of the rice

Sauce
Salmon

Rice
The top off with the remainder of the sauce
Bake about 30 minutes or till golden brown and bubbling

Niiiice

Now Salmon Number Three
I remember I first made this dish about 1972. Unless you went Salmon fishing, the only Salmon available was canned Salmon
Boy, what a difference a few decades make.
We now have at our fingertips beautiful fresh Salmon
So I used a recipe from Delia Smith for this superb Fish Pie
Russian Coulibiac
A wonderful fish pie, full of Salmon, Rice, Mushroom and Hard Boiled Eggs, all encased in golden pastry.
I made my pastry from the Edmonds Cook Book which I don't have on hand at the moment.
It was very good, not quite like the bought Flaky Pastry, but a lovely dough to handle.
I will find the recipe and remake it and post it another day. handy to have when you are not close to shops.

200 gms of Salmon Skin on
Season and oil salmon skin on
Into hot pan, presentation side down
Sear about 2 minutes
Turn over cook about 1 minute
Add 150 mls white wine
Let it bubble up
Cook about 2 minutes
Turn heat off and cover
Cool in pan
Remove salmon and flake

1 packet Flaky Puff Pastry


75 gms butter
75 gms white Basmati rice
225 mls fish or chicken stock
1 medium onion finely chopped
110 gms button mushrooms finely chopped
1 level tablespoon fresh dill (I used tarragon)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 large eggs hard boiled and chopped
1 1/2 level tablespoons parsley chopped finely
Sea salt and Freshly ground black pepper


Egg Wash
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Melt 25 gms butter in a pan
Add rice
Stir
Add stock, season
Bring to boil
Stir cover and simmer on low heat about 10 minutes

Remove cover and
Cool
Meanwhile in another pan add the rest of the butter
Add onion and sweat till soft about 10 minutes
Add the mushrooms and half the dill
Carry on cooking gently another 5 minutes
Stir in lemon zest, juice and S & P
Cool
Add to rice mixture

Mix Salmon, Eggs and Parsley together
Taste and season well with S & P


Now, assembly.
Cut pastry in half
Roll out one half, into a rectangle
Lay half of the rice mixture
Leave a border free and brush with egg wash

Cover the rice with the Salmon and egg mix

Top with remaining rice and form into a loaf shape

Roll out the other half of pastry and place over the top
Crimp and roll edges

Slash the top and brush with egg wash
Leave to rest while the oven heats
Pre-heat to 220C
Bake should take about 20-25 minutes

Cut off a big fat slice and serve with either, homemade ketchup or try this sauce from Delia
Foaming Hollandaise Click here

Look at those layers. Mouthwatering.