Roasted Skuna Bay Salmon

Roasted Skuna Bay Salmon with local wild mushroom risotto, asparagus, and pomegranate gastrique

4 – 6-oz. salmon filets, preferably Skuna Bay
1 oz. – olive oil
2 cups – cooked risotto
1 cup – local wild mushrooms cooked and turned into duxelle
1 cup – pomegranate gastrique
to garnish – basil oil
1 cup – fennel orange salad
1 bunch – asparagus (we use asparagus from the Sacramento Delta, blanched in salted boiling water and shocked in ice water)

Procedure:

•  Season salmon filets with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat a 10-inch sauté pan with 1 ounce of olive oil and sear the salmon filets on one side until they are nice and browned. Turn over and repeat the process. Then place the pan in a 400°F oven until it reaches the desired temperature. For medium, this will take about 4-5 minutes. Let it rest.
• While the salmon is cooking. heat risotto, add in duxelle and season.
• The gastrique can be made a day ahead and reheated. n Saute or steam asparagus. Toss the fennel salad together and plate.
• To Plate: Spoon some risotto onto a warm dinner plate and garnish with asparagus. Then lay the Skuna Bay salmon next to the risotto, and drizzle with the gastrique. Garnish with the orange salad.

For the risotto:

5 cups – reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 tbsp. – extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup – chopped onion
2 cloves – garlic, minced
1 ½  cups – arborio, carnaroli or other Italian “risotto” rice
1/4 tsp. – salt
1 cup – dry white wine
½ cup – finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure:

• Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but is not simmering.
• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add rice and salt and stir to coat. Stir in the wine and cook out the alcohol. Add ½ cup of stock at a time, stirring frequently, until the liquid has been absorbed.
• Continue to cook on medium-low, adding broth in 1/2-cup increments, and stirring frequently after each addition, until most of the liquid is absorbed. The risotto is done when you’ve used all the broth the rice is creamy and just tender 25 to 35 minutes total.
• Remove from the heat; stir in 3/4-cup cheese and pepper.

For the mushroom duxelle:

1 lb. – Wild mushrooms (anything local you can get will work well. Or just use White  if you can’t get anything else)
2 tbsp. – unsalted butter; divided
3 tbsp. – finely chopped shallot
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ tbsp. – fresh Thyme leaves picked
1/4 cup – White wine

Procedure:

• Finely chop mushrooms in a food processor.
• Heat a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet over a burner set between medium and medium-high.
• Add 1-tablespoon butter and swirl to melt and avoid burning.
• Add mushrooms, shallots, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and thyme.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms appear dry and are beginning to brown; about 5 minutes.
• Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter, and wine.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has evaporated.
• Remove from heat and cool.

For the pomegranate gastrique:

3 tsp. – sugar
1 tsp. – white wine vinegar
2 cups – pomegranate juice

Procedure:

• Place sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt.
• Stir until the sugar dissolves then cook without stirring until deep golden, about 5 minutes.
• Gradually add vinegar (mixture will harden). Stir until caramel melts, about 1 minute.
• Add 1 C. of the pomegranate juice; boil until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

For the fennel orange salad:

1 small fennel bulb
1 orange peeled and cut into segments
1 Small red onion finely sliced
1 tbsp. – olive oil
Kosher salt to taste

Procedure:

• Slice fennel and red onion as thin as possible on a Mandolin or with a knife, add the orange segments and olive oil.
• Season with Kosher salt

Yield: 4 servings

Submitted by John Miller, Executive Chef, Coto de Caza (Calif.) Golf & Racquet Club

Tags: Coto de Caza Golf & Racquet Club John Miller