Salmon Like it Hot

SALMON LIKE IT HOT 

In my opinion there are only two ways to prepare salmon; nice and slow and gentle or screeching hot and fast. This one is the latter; so sweetly tender and moist it will melt your heart. Crispy and flavourful on the outside, it’s more about method than ingredients. Though, you do want to be sure you have a lovely wild salmon for this recipe. Sockeye is perfect, and worth searching out. Don’t buy those yucky chum, especially the individually wrapped frozen pieces. They have no flavour and dry out immediately. Pointless.

Also, due to the incredible omnipresence of the toxic laden Atlantic salmon (so studies tell me, and I’m not taking any chances), I have been using steelhead trout or Arctic char in place of salmon. Wonderful replacements, with an almost indiscernible difference. Plus,  I like the availability.

Jord said this is quite possibly the best thing he has ever eaten, and this kid knows good food. Simple but not necessarily easy.

CRISPY SEARED SALMON

4 salmon fillets

Chunky sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup maple syrup

 Season salmon quite heavily with salt and pepper on both sides. Sprinkle with cayenne. Let side for about 20 minutes.

 Heat the olive oil with butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, it should almost start to smoke. Lay the salmon pieces in pan. Make sure they do not touch! If they do, you will have to use two pans. Now, let them sizzle away for about 3-4 minutes per side, very dark and crispy. Meanwhile, combine vinegar and maple syrup. Pour over salmon with about 1 minute cooking time left.

            Serve with Dilly of a Tartar Sauce and .

DILLY OF A TARTAR

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1loosely packed cup fresh dill, chopped

Juice from 1 fresh lemon

2 tablespoons capers

6 dill pickles, chopped

2 dashes hot sauce

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Combine the whole lot in a bowl and let sit while you prepare the rest of the dinner. 

TOMATO AND ONION RELISH

12 camparis, chopped and seeded

½ large red onion, chopped

½ cup chopped parsley

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

½ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Chunky black pepper

Chop tomatoes and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients and let mellow for about 30 minutes. Add tomatoes right before serving or sauce will get watery.