All About Salmon

March 2011 Issue 20 (looking for back issues?  Send me and email, I’ll be happy to send them to you.)

     Upcoming events:  March 9, 4 pm to 7 pm, Stella and Dot Jewelry Show,     

   March 24, 4 to 7 pm Lady’s Night  sparkling wine 2 for 1;  May 27-29, 2011 Brentwood PAL presents "Blues, Brews & BBQ's" at THE STREETS Kansas City Barbeque Society is sanctioning this great event.  Check out our Facebook page and soon you can see the event site for more details (there will be non-professional categories for our favorite BBQ friends).  Categories include Chili, Salsa, Desserts, and more, so pull out the stops and join the fun!  Any of you that enter the event qualify for a discount on items purchased at BSO² for that contest.  Please contact me for more information and check to see, we might be your competition too!  Also check out our blog at www.spiceandoils.blogspot.com.  June 12, we will be hosting the CCWA Summer Celebration here at the shop, food (we will be orasting a pig) and wine, talk to the wine makers and have a great time. October 23 Co Co Wine Store will be hosting the CCWA Fall Celebration, keep your eye open for more info.  Entry is $20 in advance and $25 at the door.  Tickets will be available all CCWA member locations and will be available at eventbright.com very soon.

Mardi Gras and St Patrick’s Day are just around the corner.  If you are planning to prepare your own corned beef, we have the salt peter you need for that.  And we have a variety of spices to make the rice and beans, and creoles that will make your Mardi Gras party the best ever.   If you are perplexed as to what to make we will help you build your menu!

This Month’s Tip …A roast with the bone in will cook faster than a boneless roast - the bone carries the heat to the inside of the roast quicker.  It also imparts a nice flavor to the meat.

DID YOU KNOW…coriander is beneficial for respiratory problems, it helps ease allergies and hay fever, purifies the blood, and fever in the body.  Coriander also benefits arthritis.  Take as a spice or tea infusion, compress and others.

Salmon, for me salmon was a fish that was hard to eat.  The fatty feeling that was left in my mouth made me gag!  Then I learned why that feeling was there and how I could utilize the fat and make my salmon a great meal.  Finding wild salmon helps reduce the fat content.  Although still good for you, farm raised salmon tends to have a greater fat content.  Grilling the salmon will also cut down on the fat. 

Grilling and baking salmon on a cedar plank keeps the fish out of the fat and it imparts an ever so slight flavor.  I have stated before, seafood tolerates brining, so does salmon.  A basic brine is all that is necessary, salt, water, and sugar; that being said you can include lemon, orange, lime, and/or shallots into the mix to up the flavor.  We have added cedar planks and bags to fit a whole salmon and/or cedar planks to our inventory.  The bags make the soaking of the cedar planks much easier.

I am including several different salmon recipes this month for those of you that feel the same way I did about this wonderful fish.  If there are any flavors that I have missed, please let me know; I will gladly include them in my blog and or future newsletters.

Monthly Recipe(s)

Salmon Brine

½ gallon water

1 ¼ cups sea salt

¾ cups sugar

Bring the water to a boil add the salt and sugar and let cool to room temperature and put into the refrigerator.  This is best if done a day in advance or early in the day.  Place the salmon in the bag with the brine for a minimum of 6 hours but no more than 24 and keep it in the refrigerator.

The morning of cooking place your cedar plank into a bag with water or cider and close the bag removing all air.  If you close the bag well, you should not have to worry about leakage.  The cedar plank need to be completed immersed in the liquid and thoroughly soaked for best results and limited burn.

BBQ Sauce for Salmon

2 tbsp peanut oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ¼ cup tomato paste

½ cup dark rum

¹/₃ cup Worcestershire Sauce

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 tbsp smoked sweet paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp cayenne 40 powder

¼ tsp flake sea salt

¼ tsp ground tellicherry pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat in a saucepan and add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender, 3 minutes or so.  Add all remaining ingredients and bring to boil, reduce to simmer for ~ 3 to 5 minutes, allow to cool to room temperature.  If the mixture is too thick, add a little more rum and a little more cider by the tablespoon each to achieve a smooth mixture.

For a more Asian flavor

No MSG Asian BBQ Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp garlic minced

1 tbsp minced green onion (optional)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

½ cup fresh orange juice, ~2 oranges

½ cup hoisin sauce

6 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 ½ tbsp water

3 tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame seed oil

Mix the Worcestershire Sauce and the water and set aside.  Whisk the oil, hoisin, honey, and sesame together.  Over medium heat sauté the garlic, ginger and green onions until tender 3 to 5 minutes.  (Add the red pepper flakes if using.)  Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and bring to simmer and cook an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Lemon Grass Beurre Blanc

2 bay leaves

Zest from ½ lime

2tbsp lemon grass

½ tsp ginger, chopped

1 tsp shallots, chopped

4 oz white wine

2 oz heavy cream

1 tsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp cooking oil

4 oz butter, cut into pieces

¼ tsp white pepper corns

In a sauce pan, add oil, heat on medium flame.  When the pan comes to temp, add the shallots, lemon grass, bay and lime zest. 

Then add the white wine and heavy cream.  Let it reduce until ½ of the liquid is gone and starts to thicken.

Slowly add the butter 1 piece at a time, at the same time keep whipping with a wire whisk.  When butter is gone add chopped cilantro for decoration

Poblano Beurre Blanc:

1 shallot sliced
2 parsley stems
2 black pepper corns
4 ounces white wine
4 ounces butter, diced
1 poblano pepper roasted, skinned, seeded, and mashed to a puree paste 

First toss the potatoes with shallots, garlic, thyme, red pepper flake, oil, salt and pepper.

Roast the potatoes at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.

While the potatoes are cooking start your beurre blanc, in a small pot add in the shallot, parsley stems, black pepper, and white wine.

On a medium high heat reduce the wine mixture until there is only 1 tablespoon of liquid.

Using a whisk off the heat add in your butter slowly until all has been incorporated.

All the poblano puree and whisk in.  Strain and reserve in a warm but not hot place.

My Citrus Cream Sauce

Zest of 1 each lime, lemon, orange or tangerine

Juice from half each lime, lemon, orange or tangerine

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

2 shallots minced

1 clove garlic minced

1 pint heavy or whipping cream

½ cup chicken stock

(If you choose to us half and half, you will need to mix it with 1 tsp cornstarch to thicken it)

Melt the butter in the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the chicken stock and bring to gentle boil, then add the juice and zest.  Reduce to about half.  Once the mixture has reduced turn to low and add the cream and bring up to temp.

Once this is at temp you can pour into a gravy boat to serve over any fish you like.   This is also a great sauce for pasta alone or with calamari and/or shrimp.  Once you taste the sauce, let your imagination run wild.

Hometown Lemon Salmon

1 salmon filet, pinbones removed

1 – 2 lemons, very thinly sliced

BSO² Lemon Olive Oil

¼ to ¹/₃ cup Hometown Spice

Cedar plank and bag, use water for soaking, lemon juice can be added.

Remove the cedar plank from the bag, discard the liquid.  Remove the pinbones from your salmon by running your finger along the flesh to locate and use kitchen tweezers to remove; that is if you cannot remove with your fingernails.  Slice one lemon at a time as you may not need both; coat with the lemon olive oil, cover with the lemon slices, and sprinkle to taste with the Hometown Spice.  For a bit more bite, use a heavy hand sprinkling the Hometown.  Place plank and grill until flaky.  Serve with grilled veggies and rice.  See the video at www.youtube.com and search on Brentwood Spice AND Olive Oil for this and more videos on food, wine, and oils.

Macadamia Nut Crusted Baked Salmon

1 fresh salmon filet, pinbones removed,

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 ½ cups coarsely ground, roasted macadamia nuts

2 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp flour

Hometown to season

Preheat oven to 375⁰ F.  In a medium bowl sift together the nuts, panko, and flour.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, brush with olive oil.  Place the salmon on the foil.  Cover the salmon with nut mixture, pack it down.  Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Orange Glazed Salmon (contributed by Mark & Terry)

4 boneless, skinless salmon filets

3 tbsp Cajun seasoning (salt-free)

1 tsp brown sugar

¼ tsp good sea salt

2 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup orange marmalade

1 tbsp lime juice

Lime wedges

In a small sauce pan, bend marmalade and lime juice until melted and set aside.  Combine Cajun seasoning, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.  Rub over all areas of filets.

Sauté filets in oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes turn and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.  Add marmalade to salmon being very careful and turn salmon to coat all sides continue to cook until salmon is flakey,

Grilled Salmon (from my brother Doug)

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
lemon pepper
garlic powder
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt (optional).  In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and olive oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large re-sealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.   Preheat grill for medium heat.   Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.