Seared Soy Orange Salmon, with...
...Lemongrass Buerre Blanc and Soy Balsamic Glaze.
I don't care how complicated it sounds: you won't complain once you have tasted it. My husband said it was the best salmon he has ever tasted in his LIFE. And he eats salmon---regularly---in fabulous restaurants.
Need a second opinion? My son, who had tried salmon in the past and maintained no affection for this pink-fleshed fish, was coerced by his mother [ehem] to try it. Success! He loved it and within moments, was asking for seconds.
This recipe came out of my American Regional cookbook---from one of my culinary classes. It is found in the chapter dedicated to Pacific Northwest Cuisine and is decidedly salmon-plus-Asian-influence. (Sometimes called 'fusion cuisine,' which means food, flavors and/or cooking methods from disparate cultures unite---think wonder twins).
Caramelized Salmon with Orange Soy Glaze 1/2 cup ginger, peeled chopped 1 T Sichuan peppercorns (ask at the grocer's, they have a bit more kick than black peppercorns) 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup cilantro 4 salmon fillets (4 oz each) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 T coarse ground pepper 1 T peanut oil 2 T soy sauce 2 T Grand Marnier
Food process first 4; Roll salmon in mix, marinating at room temp for up to 2 hours. Mix sugar and pepper. Heat peanut oil in pan over medium. Press salmon (flesh side) into sugar/pepper mix. Saute flesh down, 2-3 minutes to caramelize sugar. Then turn salmon skin side down, lower heat and let finish cooking. Place on plate; ideally serve with Lemongrass Beurre Blanc and Balsamic Soy Glaze. Ah, those recipes are forthcoming... a bit like when you see a great movie and it ends with the promise of the next one.
Chef notes: I squirted the soy balsamic over the whole plate, then took about 1/2 cup braised greens (chard) and piled it in the middle of the plate, and topped it with the salmon. The buerre blanc I put in a circle around the greens. In our culinary kitchens, we would have used a squirt bottle for the glaze, likely tongs to gingerly place the greens, and a ladle to lovingly encircle the salmon with the buerre blanc.
Credit: page 507 in Second Edition American Regional Cuisine by The Art Institutes.
