A Tale of Two Salmon

Last week I was tweeting with Rebecca of Chow and Chatter and it did not take us long to begin discussing our recent menus. And come to find out both of us had just made Marinated Salmon but with two totally different recipes. We thought it would be fun to swap Salmon pictures and link to each others blogs....Sort of like a game of tag but with fish!

Rebecca's Harissa Marinated Salmon with CousCous is her own original recipe and consisted of Salmon marinated in a fabulously spicy, tomato-based Harissa Sauce and wonderfully served over CousCous! And doesn't it look delicious! I know Mr. Tastebuds would just be in 7th Heaven if I served him this!






On the other hand my Salmon was a much quieter dish, still marinated but in Sake, Soy, Ginger, Garlic and Marin. It was so delicious and definitely a keeper recipe and one I will make again and again! I served the Soy-Lacquered Salmon with Mushrooms that had been sauteed in butter with about 1 tsp of fresh minced Thyme. I just loved the Mushrooms with Thyme!







Pan-Roasted Soy-Lacquered Salmon
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1/2 cup sake
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1 tablespoon light miso
1 head garlic, halved
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, halved, and smashed
4 sprigs fresh cilantro
4 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
3 tablespoons peanut oil
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish

In a bowl large enough to accommodate the salmon, mix the sake, soy sauce, mirin, and miso until the miso has dissolved. Add the garlic, ginger, cilantro, and salmon fillets. Cover and marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in an ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the salmon skin side down. Put the pan into the oven and roast until the salmon is cooked medium-rare, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves and lime wedges.








All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

TFF - Salmon Potato Hash

This week for Tyler Florence Fridays I decided to make Salmon Potato Hash. My market sells salmon sausage which is a pork casing stuffed with fresh salmon. I bought a package some time ago and Mr. Tastebud's has said, more then once, "when are you going to use up this salmon sausage"! It was time to use it for something.

This was a scrumptiously delicious dish! There was nothing leftover and we nearly licked the plates clean. I would love to make this dish substituting the salmon sausage for salmon fillet or a mild Italian sausage.





Salmon Potato Hash
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 (2-pound) center-cut, skin-on, salmon fillet
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh dill, for garnish (I used chopped green onion stems)

Hash:
About 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 russet potatoes, rinsed in water and cut into large dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced (skipped)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (skipped)
Pinch cayenne pepper (skipped)

Egg:
Water
White vinegar
4 to 6 large organic farm fresh eggs

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

For the Salmon:
Place the salmon on a large baking sheet skin-side down. Drizzle salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes until flaky. Transfer to a cutting board.

For the Hash:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once heated add the potatoes and shallow-fry for about 8 minutes until evenly browned on all sides. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place onto a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl.

Using 2 forks, flake the salmon, removing it in chunks from the skin, and fold into the potatoes.

Remove most of the oil, leaving only a couple of tablespoons. Place over medium heat and add the sliced onions, sliced peppers and garlic and allow to caramelize. Add the green onions, thyme leaves, paprika and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Add the potatoes back to the pan and stir to combine.

For the Eggs:
Place a large sauté pan with high sides over medium heat and fill with a few inches of water. Heat until just below a simmer. Add a splash of white vinegar and using a wooden spoon, stir the water in 1 direction to create a small whirlpool. Crack the eggs and add, 1 at a time, to the spinning water. Allow to poach until desired doneness. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

To Serve:
Place the salmon-potato hash on serving plates or serving platter and top with the eggs. Pour Hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish dill (I used chopped green onion stems as garnish). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.



Hollandaise Sauce
Recipe adapted from "Tested, Tried and True" by The Junior League of Flint, MI

3 to 4 egg yolks (I always use 3 yolks)
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL lemon juice
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
Dash of Tabasco (I usually skip the Tabasco)

Put yolks, lemon juice and seasoning in blender and blend for about 30 seconds. Melt butter in microwave. With the blender on, pour a thin, steady stream of melted butter into the blender. Viola...it's done and delicious!






Please visit Tyler Florence Fridays and see what the rest of Tyler's groupies are up too this week.





All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Coquilles Saint Jacques Dieppoise

This week for Whisk Wednesdays we were supposed to make Cuisses de Grenouille aux Herbes (Herbed Frog Legs). I love Frog Legs and my market had some frozen last week but when I went to buy them, they were sold out! I should have bought them last week but for some reason I didn't....my loss! But I could find fresh Canadian Mussels so I made next week's WW's recipe which is Coquilles Saint Jacques Dieppoise (Scallops with Mussels and Shrimp in Cream Sauce). Now I am either a week ahead or a week behind depending on how you look at it!

Although I've lived in Florida where Mussels are a staple, I've never made them before. Compared to other Le Cordon Bleu recipes this was an easy dish to prepare, unfortunately, I did not like this dish at all. And Mr. Tastebuds said it was okay but complained about the scallops and lack of seasoning. The dish was very bland and needed some garlic and basil. Scallops are best seared or sauteed to bring out the sweetness in the meat and just simmering them in a wine sauce did not bring out the best of scallops. Also I used heavy cream and I thinking that I should have used cream fraiche and this would have added a bit more flavor, but I still don't think it would have added enough flavor to make this a fabulous dish.








Coquilles Saint Jacques Dieppoise
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

2 lbs mussels
2 TBL butter
2 large shallots, chopped fine
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 TBL chopped parsley
Fresh ground pepper
2 TBL butter
1 lb mushrooms
Salt
10 oz medium sized shrimp
18 large sea scallops
1/2 c. creme fraiche or heavy cream (I used heavy cream)
1 TBL chopped parsley







All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

TFF --Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos

Skate: This odd-looking, kite-shaped fish is also called a ray. The names are used interchangeably, though in some quarters the term "skate" is applied to the members of this species that are used for eating, while "ray" generally refers to those (like the electric ray and giant manta ray) that are fished for sport. Skates have winglike pectoral fins that undulate as the fish meanders along the ocean floor (there are also freshwater rays). The fins are the edible part of a skate. Their delicious flesh is firm, white and sweet-not unlike that of the scallop. Depending on the region, skate is available year-round. Skate can be prepared in a variety of ways including poaching, baking and frying.



Tyler used the correct word for his ULTIMATE Fish Tacos. They were out of this world delicious! I have to admit I was surprised they were so good. I'm not a hot pepper person and frankly a fish taco was not appealing to me. Well, I've been converted and I now kneel down to the great pepper god. And a fish taco is welcome on my table any time!

I did substitute Skate for the Mahi Mahi. I have wanted to try the Skate for some time now and it was on sale this week for $2.99 lb! I was unfamiliar with preparing Skate so watched a video and then was comfortable enough to buy a Wing. The Skate was absolutely delicious and I definitely buy it again. I chose to bake it and it did take a bit longer then I expected, about 30 minutes, but it was perfect. Skate has no bones but has long rib-like cartilage that are easily removed. I shredded the fish so it was easy to build a tacos. And we happily feasted on the fish tacos. In fact the only thing left was the Pink Mayonnaise which I used later in the week for a Cole Slaw Dressing!








Tyler's Ultimate Fish Tacos
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Taco:
2 pounds mahi mahi (skinned, boned and cleaned) cut into 1-ounce strips
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons water
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
1 bunch chives, chopped
3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish


Pink Chile Mayonnaise:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Mango-Radish Salsa:
2 limes
2 mangoes, diced
4 to 5 red radishes, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the fish. Cut the pieces of fish into 1-ounce strips. Set up a breading station of flour, lightly beaten eggs with water, and seasoned panko bread crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of fish in flour, egg then bread crumbs. Once all the fish is breaded deep-fry in small batches in (375 degrees F) oil. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Prepare the pink chile mayonnaise. Put the chipotles in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lemon juice and continue to process until the mixture is consistent and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.





Prepare the mango-radish salsa. Remove the peel and pith from the limes and cut between the membranes to remove the segments. Put these "supremes" into a bowl and squeeze over the juice from the membranes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Season and refrigerate until ready to use. You can also place all of the ingredients into a food processor and puree for a smoother salsa.

To serve, set up the tacos "family-style". Assemble the fish in a pile on a plate; the pink chile mayonnaise in a bowl; and mango-radish salsa in another. Set a pile of shredded savoy cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped chives and lime wedges next to the fish. Toast the corn tortillas lightly over an open flame (on your stove top) and serve.











Please visit the TFF's Roundup and see what the rest of Tyler's fans have created for this week.




All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Blanquette de Lotte aux Petits Legumes

This week for Whisk Wednesdays our recipe was Blanquette de Lotte aux Petits Legumes or Monkfish in White-Wine Cream Sauce with Vegetables. Well, living in IL and trying to find fresh Monkfish is a problem. I've only seen Monkfish in the markets a few times, unfortunately I could find no Monkfish for this week's recipe. My first thought was to use Scallops which I have in my freezer but opted to use fresh Red Snapper.

I really did not care for this recipe as the sauce was bit heavy for Snapper but it would probably be fine with Monkfish. But I do what I can and this week, my fish substitute just did not work out for us. And I forgot to buy turnips and to top things off my sauce thickened so quickly, I neglected to add the cream! Oh well, 1 recipe dud in 6 months is really not all that bad! ;)

And a big shout out to my dear friend Maryanne...Here are the fish plates you sent me! And I do use them more then you see them pictured on my blog! I like using them because the plate shape compliments food so nicely.




Blanquette de Lotte aux Petits Legumes
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

Vegetable Garnish:
6 oz carrots
6 oz turnips
6 oz green beans
Salt
6 oz shelled peas
24 pearl onions
4 TBL unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
6 oz button or quartered large mushrooms, trimmed, rinsed and dried

Fish:
2 1/2 lbs monkfish fillets
6 TBL unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped fine
5 TBL flour
1 c. dry white wine
1 bouquet garni
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 egg yolks
1 c. heavy cream
Chervil or parsley leaves for garnish





Whiskers' Tail


For our post tail Kayte suggested that all the Whiskers post pictures of their cookbook and recipe stands. I was particularly interested because presently I am on the hunt for a cookbook stand.



If I have a printed recipe from my recipe program, I prop the page up in my vintage iron fruit bowl, anchoring it with some of the fruit. This week's fruit of choice is pears.





Sometimes I put a printed recipe in these cute photo holders that I bought last year on closeout at TJMaxx. They actually hold about 20 pages of recipes before becoming top heavy. These are working out very well.



If the recipe is from a cookbook, I just lay the book open on my island. But this makes the book very vulnerable to spills and spatters. If the binding is tight and the book will not lay flat, I weight the pages down with...yep you guessed it, fruit. Bananas work incredibly well as page weights. Fruit is a multi-use tool in my kitchen!





All Rights Reserved 2008-9 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Snapper with fennel en Papillote

This week for Whisk Wednesdays we made Snapper with fennel en Papillote or Snapper with Fennel baked in Parchment! Baking fish in parchment is very popular in Florida and it's on just about every restaurant menu. I love fish in parchment, it's like getting a little present on your plate.

Living in the Midwest, once again, I was limited to my fish varieties and substituted Sole for the Snapper. Last week I had a huge choice of fish, but this week Sole was the only white-fleshed fish I could find. The Sole fillets were gorgeous and we do love Sole, although I do think the recipe would have been better with Snapper or Grouper.

It was fun making the pipillote which were ridiculously easy and an added bonus is there's little clean up afterwards!



Snapper with fennel en Papillote
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques

2-3/4 lb snapper fillets
2 large bulbs of fennel
4 TBL unsalted butter
16 fresh basil leaves
4 TBL dry white wine

Preparing the fish was so easy. Just cut a heart shape out of parchment, making sure it's big enough to comfortably hold your fish, plus about 1" for crimping. Brush the parchment with melted butter up to about 1" from the edge.

Prepare the fennel by rinsing in cold water. Discard the thick stalks, reserving the leaves and bulbs. With a sharp knife, cut the bulb in half and cut off the root end and discard. Cut the fennel into 1/4" slices. Saute in butter for about 25 minutes or until tender.

Put a layer of fennel on one side of parchment in the shape of your fillet. Rinse off your fillet with cold water and pat dry. Place the fillet on top of the fennel and season with salt and pepper. Arrange 4 fresh basil leaves on top of the fillet. Sprinkle fillet with about a TBL of white wine. Top with the reserved fennel leaves.

Crimp the edges of the parchment. Bake at 425 degrees for 5-8 minutes.


All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Tyler Florence Fridays -- Fish and Chips

When I found Tyler's recipe for Fish and Chips, I knew it was going to be my first recipe for Tyler Florence Fridays! And it did not hurt when I found some gorgeous Cod on sale either! I love Cod and it's such an over looked and unappreciated fish. The fish is such a gorgeous white and so flaky and you can do just about anything with Cod and it's always good...poach, saute, deep fry, bake, sauce, it does not matter Cod can handle just about anything and it always shines through.

Needless to say Tyler's Fish and Chips was delicious and I loved every bite. Mr. Tastebuds said "I did not think I liked Cod, but this was pretty good. Can I have another piece?" I guess I forgot that he did not like Cod, but he sure likes it now!

Using seltzer water and rice flour gave the breading the most amazing crispy texture and after frying the breading had a nice crunch and not oily at all. I can't wait to try it with shrimp and I've been thinking about making frog legs lately too. WOW...the batter is the best! Also I did not fry the chips per the recipe but made Oven Fries instead.



Fish and Chips
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

Vegetable oil, for deep frying
3 large russet potatoes
2 cups rice flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning **See Note
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 (12-ounce) can soda water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 (8-ounce) cod or haddock fillets, cut in 1/2 on an angle
1/2 cup rice flour, for dredging
Malt vinegar, for serving

Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep fryer to 325 degrees F. Alternatively, use a deep heavy skillet.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips (that is, fries) about the size of your index finger. Put the potatoes in a fryer basket and lower into the oil. Fry the chips for 2 to 3 minutes; they should not be crisp or fully cooked at this point. Remove the chips to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Crank the oil temperature up to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine soda water and egg and pour into the flour mixture. Whisk to a smooth batter. Spread the rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off.

Put the chips in the bottom of the fryer basket and carefully submerge in the hot oil. Carefully lower the battered fish into the bubbling oil on top of the chips. Fry the fish and chips for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown. Remove the basket and drain the fish and chips on paper towels; season lightly with salt. Serve wrapped in a newspaper cone with malt vinegar and/or tartar sauce.

NOTE: This recipe makes quite a bit of batter for the fish. Next time I will cut the batter recipe in half and I'm sure I will still have more then enough!

**NOTE: 2 tsp of salt is plenty.





All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Bar a la Normande

This week for Whisk Wednesdays we made Bar a la Normande or Sea Bass with Mushrooms and Cream. This week instead of running around trying to find the correct fish for the recipe, I had a choice between 3 different varieties of Sea Bass...can you believe it and this was at just 1 market too! WOW! The Mediterranean Sea Bass looked fresh and so that is what I purchased. The cream sauce was delicious but I do think it would have been better with either Orange Roughy or Red Snapper.

Since we've made so many fish recipes for Whisk Wednesdays, this recipe went together very easily. I love poaching in fish stock with wine, it makes a huge difference in the taste of any fish. And using the buttered parchment as a cover on the fish while it's in the oven solves so many problems. I am amazed at how much I've learned in the 5 months I've been a member of Whisk Wednesdays!

Sorry, no pictures for this recipe. My camera batteries were low and the meal was eaten before I could recharge!!


Bar a la Normande
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

3-lb sea bass or striped bass
6 TBL unsalted butter
2 shallots, chopped fine
Salt
White pepper
1 c. dry white wine
1 c. Fish Stock or water (it's much better with fish stock)
1 lb mushrooms, sliced fine
1 1/4 c. cream fraiche

Unsalted butter, softened, for parchment paper


All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- And an end to my fear of fish!

While making this week's Whisk Wednesdays recipe, Truite aux Amandes or Trout Almondine, I tackled my fear of fish! And it was so easy too and very delicious. I will never again be hesitant to prepare fish, well unless I have to filet it but Mr. Tastebuds can do that!

OH MY...the Rainbow Trout was fantastic and the recipe was so easy. Just remove any exterior fins and trim the tail fin. Season inside and out with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and saute, 5-7 minutes per side, in butter/EVOO until golden brown. Garnish with toasted almonds, lemon and parsley. And it was perfect! I served it with a huge dish of roasted vegetables. My mouth is watering just thinking about how good the trout was.



Truite aux Amandes
Recipe adapted from "Le Cordon Bleu at Home"

6 trout, about 8 ozs each
1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2/3 c. flour
1/2 lb unsalted butter
1 TBL vegetable oil
6 oz sliced almonds
1 TBL chopped parsley
Parsley for garnish



All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Truite de Mer, Sauce Verte

This weeks recipe has to be my favorites so far for Whisk Wednesdays! I used almost a lb of salmon fillet for just the 2 of us which should have been plenty but it was not near enough. I wished I had made 2 lbs!!! Gosh it was good and I'm thinking of making it again as a munchie food for Super Bowl Sunday!

The salmon was poached in Court Bouillon. And then Sauce Verte, an herbed spinach mayonnaise, was spread over the fillet and thinly sliced, salted cucumbers were laid over the entire fish to resemble fish scales. I wanted to try making the scales and it was fun. Maybe next time I will try a while fish!!



Truite de Mer, Sauce Verte
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

Court Bouillon:
1 carrot, chopped coarse
1 onion, chopped coarse
1 stalk of celery, chapped coarse
Bouquet Garni
1 lemon, quartered
1 c. white vinegar
4 c. dry white wine
3 c. water
Salt

3 1/2 lb salmon trout or salmon

Sauce Verte

Mayonnaise:
2 eggs yolk
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon, abt 2 TBL
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/3 c. vegetable oil
10 oz spinach
4 oz watercress
1 TBL each chopped fresh tarragon, chervil, parsley

Garnish:
3 hard boiled eggs
cucumber
2 lemons


Ooops....I forgot!!!

This week a few members of WWs are going to post pictures of the messy aftermath of making just one recipe from Le Cordon Bleu! It's not that the recipes are difficult at all, but there are many steps involved, ie MANY pots, pans, utensils and small appliances, to layer the flavors which is the essence of French cuisine.

So here's my sink in all it's glory!





All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesday -- Saumon au Champagne

My husband loves salmon any way, grilled, broiled, poached..whatever. So I was happy to see Salmon on the menu for Whisk Wednesdays this week and next week too! And this dish certainly did not disappoint, not much does disappoint us from the "Le Cordon Bleu" cookbook!

I added some chopped green onion as a garnish and a side of chopped green olives stuffed with pimentos. While in college I was a waitress and worked at a high end restaurant for a time. One of our fresh fish specials was Salmon with Olive Butter and I loved it. The Olive Butter was just chopped green olives in drawn butter but it was so good and sOOOoooo easy.



Saumon au Champagne (Salmon in Champagne Sauce)
Recipe adapted from "Le Cordon Blue at Home"

5 TBL butter
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 LB whiting or other lean white fish, cleaned and sliced
1 bottle Champagne
3 3/4 c. water
1 Bouquet Garni
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 salmon steaks, 8 oz each
1 large shallot, chopped fine
2 1/2 TBL flour
1 egg yolk
1/3 c. creme fraiche or heavy cream






All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog

Whisk Wednesdays — Brochet au beurre blanc

Well, I'm finally have time to type up my Whisk Wednesdays post that was supposed to posted 2 weeks ago! We're still moving into our home and there's just not enough hours in the day!

We could use any fish so I choose Scallops and made some oven roasted potatoes as our side and a small tossed salad. The meal was outstanding!

Brochet au beurre blanc (Whole Poached Pike with White Butter Sauce)
Recipe adapted from Le Cordon Bleu at Home

Court Bouillion:
1 bunch parsley
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 lb. onions
1 stalk celery
1 leek, chopped coarse
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
coarse salt
20 peppercorns

3 1/2 lb pike

Beurre Blanc Sauce I:
2 shallots, chopped fine
3/4 c. dry white wine
2 TBL white wine vinegar
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 c. creme fraiche
1/2 lb butter
a few drops of lemon juice
salt and pepper


All Rights Reserved 2008 © Big Black Dog