King Salmon With Penne

From Maurice Sainte-Yves and Paul Marner

 

This recipe comes from Master Chefs Maurice Sainte-Yves and Paul Marner. It was created especially for one of our potlucks. Do not be discouraged by its length or seeming complexity. Maurice and Paul walk you through the recipe with great detail so that even an everyday cook can produce this masterpiece. And even if you decide you don't want to attempt the recipe, it's worth reading to help you understand the way a real chef cooks!

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Paul is very passionate about his salmon.  When the Wild Kings are available, the flesh is deep red from feasting on krill.  The fat under the skin is rich and flavorful and when grilled on coals, the crisp skin helps protect the flesh from drying out.  Season the salmon by rubbing both sides with good olive oil, coarse sea salt, chopped garlic and coarse cracked black peppercorns.  Cook the salmon ‘till medium-rare or until desired doneness.  When cooked, keep salmon warm in a pre-heated oven, uncovered to keep the skin crisp.

This simple preparation of salmon lends itself to countless ways of serving it to friends and family.  When Spring arrives and the King season is open, pairing the grilled salmon with Spring vegetables such as baby artichokes, peas, fennel, morels and……say in a brothy butter sauce acidulated with lemon and perhaps served crusty bread, risotto, or pasta….will make this a feast for a king.

This night for the potluck, pasta was the choice of presentation. 

King Salmon fillet, skin on and all pin bones removed.  Seasoned and cooked as described above.  Allow 4-6 ounces per person as an entrée,

1          cup       Chicken stock

1          cup       Fish stock

¼         cup       Dry sherry

¼         cup       Brandy

Bring to boil and reduce heat to a simmer and cook till reduced by 50%, about 45 minutes. (The reduction may be done ahead, cooled and kept aside till needed)

¼         pound   Baby Morel mushrooms (Sauté in 2 tsp olive oil letting morels

                        release their liquid.  About 3-4 minutes on medium high heat.

                        Remove morels to a dish leaving any oil and liquid in pan for

                        cooking fennel)

½         pound   Fennel bulbs, sliced like celery in ¼ inch thickness (Add sliced fennel

                        to hot pan above and cook fennel for 2-3 minutes just to wilt, on medium

                        high heat.  If pan is dry add a teaspoon of olive oil.  Add cooked fennel

                        to cooked morels and reuse pan for spring garlic)

¼         pound   spring green garlic cut on bias into 1” slices  (Add sliced spring garlic to

                        pan and cook just to wilt greens about 2 minutes.  Then add to morels.)

¼         pound  Peas (from about 1 # with pods)

½         pound   Baby artichokes (Tops cut off, outer leaves peeled back until yellow

                        leaves are visible. While doing this, have a non-corrosive pot with a

                        cup of water, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and the juice and rind

                        of ½ lemon and ½ teaspoon of salt ready to put cleaned artichokes in.

                        Bring acidulated water and artichokes to boil, reduce heat, cover and

                        cook artichokes for 6 minutes.  After six minutes, remove pan from

                        heat, keep covered and let steep for 5 minutes.  Drain off water, let cool

                        then cut in half lengthwise.  No need to remove chokes since they are

                        edible when the artichokes are young.)

1          pound   Penne rigate cooked following manufacturer’s suggestion.

5 minutes before penne is cooked, bring the reduced stock to a simmer and start cooking the king salmon.

To the simmering broth add the juice of fresh squeezed lemon, about 4-5 teaspoons or until desired taste.  Whisk into simmering stock ¼ pound sweet butter.  Add peas, artichokes, morels, fennel and spring garlic.  Bring to a full simmer, re-taste first for lemon.  If you desire more add more, if you need salt, add more.  If the sauce is too lemony or salty, you can either add more chicken stock or water or more sweet butter (I prefer butter.)  When sauce is seasoned to your desired taste, add cooked penne.  Divide sauced penne into pasta bowls, top with grilled salmon and garnish with color such as edible flowers, chive blossoms….  Though some of you will like cheese on your pasta if you must have some, try breaking up some fresh chèvre from Andante Dairy into the pasta and sauce.  This will add a creamy richness and a balancing foil to the salmon.  As usual, fresh milled black peppercorns, a wonderful wine, for a great table befitting of a king.

A note on stocks.  For me they should be absolutely delicious and when cold should be gelatinous.  If time prevents you from making your own, you can find them usually frozen in upscale markets.  However, I still find it necessary to simmer them with additional ingredients to deepen their unlocked flavor.  A simple remedy is some chicken back bones and some dried porcini mushrooms.

 

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