| Salmon with Dill Sauce | ||||||||
| As a dedicated New England raised lover of seafood, finding really fresh fish in South County markets can be a challenge. When I head out to buy fish, I don’t try to find any particular type of fish. I’m looking for whatever fish is freshest and that means whatever came in on the delivery truck that same day. I’ve had the best luck with Nob Hill. They get fish deliveries on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and they will special order. They are also careful about labeling fish that has been frozen. If possible, I buy fish that had never been frozen because the flavor and texture are affected by freezing and defrosted fish will not sear as well as fresh. For example, frozen scallops tend to exude moisture and will stew rather than sear in a hot skillet. The one type of fish that is almost always available is salmon. Most supermarket available salmon is farm raised and has color added, but wild salmon is still in season and the catch has been good and you may get lucky. For the ultimate in freshness, but not necessarily convenience, buy right off the boats on the coast. Cooking fish properly seems to be something that makes even good home cooks nervous. One technique that professional chefs employ is to quickly sear a fillet to give it some color and then finish the cooking in the oven. I recently cooked for thirty gals at a baby shower and it couldn’t have been easier. I cut salmon fillets into 4 to 6 ounce portions, dusted them with lemon-pepper and seared them in a small amount of olive oil in a calphalon skillet heated to nearly smoking hot. About three minutes per side gave them a nice color and crispness and then they went onto a baking sheet. Just before serving, they went into a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until cooked through but not dry. The fillets were served on a bed of marinated cucumbers and had a drizzle of a creamy dill vinaigrette. I served a side of fettuccini alfredo, but rice pilaf would have been good too. Sue Kleber |
Marinated Cucumber Salad 1 English or European style cucumber 4 TB unseasoned white rice vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 2 TB fresh dill, finely minced 1 TB sugar 1/2 tsp kosher salt, reserved Peel the cucumber very lightly, leaving some dark green behind. Score lengthwise with a fork, if desired and slice paper thin. Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, dill, and sugar and add the cucumber slices and marinate for several hours or overnight. Add the salt just before serving. Creamy Dill Sauce 3 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup Best Foods mayonnaise 3 TB Italian parsley, finely minced 3 TB fresh dill, finely minced 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard 1 TB shallot, very finely minced 1 TB capers, minced (optional) 1 tsp Frank’s hot sauce 1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt freshly ground black pepper Whisk the lemon juice, oil and mayonnaise together until smooth and add other ingredients. If you prefer a smooth sauce, make it in a blender. |
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Courtesy of:
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Real Estate & Living
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www.somocorealestate.com
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