Less is more. This is a fitting description for my feelings regarding eating salmon. I prefer to eat salmon only when it is wild and fresh. This means getting the chance to eat salmon much less often and at a far greater cost then farmed salmon but the flavor of a nice piece of wild salmon makes it worth the wait and expense. I recently was lucky enough to to some fresh wild salmon from British Columbia and prepared it with great veggies from the Farmer's Market at the College of San Mateo.
Pan Seared Wild Salmon with Potato Hash and Asparagus
4 six-once wild salmon filets, bone-out and skin-on
1 bunch medium red or yellow beets with green tops attached
2 medium size leeks
1 pound small yukon gold creamers
4 pieces good-quality bacon
1 bunch asparagus
1 small shallot
2 T heavy cream
1 T unsalted butter
salt and pepper
Optional: 1/2 cup dry white wine
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. Roast the beets. Remove the greens on top of beets. Discard any greens that do not look fresh, wash the rest and set aside. Rinse the beets and scrub off any dirt before patting them dry and placing them in a glass pyrex casserole dish. Rub the beat with a little olive oil and season genoursly with salt. Add 1/2 cup of very hot water to baking dish and quickly cover with aluminion foil. Place in the middle of the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes. Using a wooden skewer or small knife check that the beets are done and allow to cool for 5 minutes. When the beets are still hot peel the skin and cut each beat into about 8 pieces.
2. Parboil the Potatoes. I great technique for preparing potatoes for a hash is to first parboil them first. Clean the potatoes by scrubbing them under running water and then place in a medium size pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water comes to a rolling boil lower the heat slightly and keep a close eye on the potatoes. It is crucial that they are not cooked all the way but rather that they are al dente and have some resistence when pierced with a knife. Strain potatoes and allow to cool by spreading out on a baking sheet. If you think you have cooked them a little too long then quickly put the baking sheet in the fridge to help the them cool down faster. When the potatoes have cooled completly, cut each one into a large dice and set aside.
3. Carmalize the leeks. Cut off the dark green part of the leeks and discard or compost. Dice the leeks into thin 1/4" pieces and place in a large bowl of cold water. Shake the leeks to wash off the dirt and then strain through a colandar and allow to drip dry. Over very low heat heat the butter with 1 T olive oil and add the leeks when the butter is almost completly melted. Keep the heat very low and cook the leeks for about 30 minutes, stirring about every 5 minutes. When finished they should be just browned and very soft. Set aside.
4. Cook the Salmon. If you turned off the over after roasting the beets make sure it is preheated again to 375 degrees. Season both sides of the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper. Heat about 1 T olive oil in a saute pan over high heat until the the oil is smoking steadily. Carefully place the fillets skin side up in the pan and sear for rougly a mintute and a half. The idea is not to disturb the fillets as they sear so that they develop a nice brown crush. Flip the fillets over to the skin side and continue cooking for another 30 seconds. At this point the salmon is ready to be finished in the over and if you want add the 1/2 cup of white wine to the pan before it goes into the oven. The wine will help keep the fish moist as it roasts. The time in the over entirely depends on how you like your salmon and the thickness of the fillet. If the fillet is of average thickness and you want medium go for about 6 to 7 minutes in the oven.
5. Finishing. When the salmon go into the oven, heat 1 T olive oil in a large saute pan over heat heat. When the oil is starting to smoke add the parboiled potatoes and stir frequetly to prevent sticking. When the pototoes have browned add the roated beets, carmalized leeks, and heavy cream. Continue cooking until the cream has evapoporateed- about 30 seconds.
