SEARED SALMON WITH BEET RISOTTO, SAUTEED SPINACH, WILD MUSHROOMS AND A BEET AND CARROT MICRO-GREEN SALAD WITH CARROT SAUCE

Steps:

• Let beets cool until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into chunks. Transfer beets to a blender or food processor along with 1 1/4 cups of stock and blend together. Add the remaining stock and blend. Add oil to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the rice to the oil and toast it for a couple minutes. Add half the beet puree to the rice, then slowly add the rest of the beet puree, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until rice is tender and then fold in the butter. Keep warm in a hot water bath.
• Heat the water, but do not boil it. Place mushrooms in a bowl; add hot water directly to the bowl and let sit about 15 minutes. Squeeze mushrooms free of water, reserving 1/4 cup of the mushroom water, and transfer mushrooms to a different bowl and set aside. (Mushrooms will be almost 5 ounces when soaked in water.) In a small bowl, whisk the reserved mushroom water with the balsamic. Whisk in the olive oil. carefully pour the sherry into a small skillet over medium-high heat and flambé. Immediately pour it into the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside.
• Wash the spinach well, dry it, and remove stems. Heat up a saute pan, then add oil. Add spinach and let wilt. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and keep warm in a hot water bath. Wring spinach dry before serving.
• Peel carrot and juice it. Pour the juice into a small saucepan. Add honey and oil and reduce over medium heat until syrupy, about 20 minutes. Place in a plastic sauce bottle.
• Marinate the salmon in the mushroom vinaigrette for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Remove salmon and pat dry with a paper towel. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when hot, but not smoking, add salmon, skin side up, in pan. Sear for 3 to 5 minutes, flip, and continue cooking another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Peel and put the beet through a suziewah (turning slicer); place in cold water. Peel and put the carrot through a suziewah; place in cold water. Toss with remaining mushroom vinaigrette. Reserve micro-greens for plating and set salad aside.
• To serve: Place a ring mold in the center of a dinner plate. Add the beet risotto until full. Remove the ring mold. Place the sauteed spinach on top of risotto. Place a salmon fillet on top of the spinach. Place the wild mushrooms on top of the salmon. Put the micro-greens on the center of the fillet. Place several curls of beet and carrot on micro-greens. Garnish the plate with dots of carrot sauce. Wipe the plate clean of debris and repeat process for remaining 3 plates. Serve immediately.