Best Salt And Pepper Salmon With Shiitakes And Leeks Recipes

SALT AND PEPPER SALMON

Steps:

• Run your finger up and down the center of the salmon feeling for any pin bones. Remove any that you find with a needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. With a sharp knife cutting across the width of the salmon, divide it into 4 equal portions. Lightly salt the salmon and let sit a couple minutes; this will help you get crispy skin.
• Heat a 2-count, about 2 tablespoons, of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking. Season the salmon with pepper, and rub about 1 1/2 tablespoons butter on the skin side of each fillet. Add the salmon to the pan, skin-side down. To get super crispy skin, cook the salmon almost to completion, about 6 minutes.
• Flip the salmon and cook until flesh side is nicely seared, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Transfer the salmon to a platter and serve with the Smashed Potatoes.
• Put the potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. If they're large, cut them in half. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. Stick a fork into the potatoes, 1 at a time, lift them out of the colander and peel with a paring knife. Toss the potatoes into a bowl and roughly crush them. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the pearl onions, sugar, and lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the lemon slices, peas, and lemon zest and continue cooking until the peas are hot. Season with salt and pepper. Dump the vegetables over the potatoes in the bowl, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil add the parsley and dill and taste for salt and pepper. Scatter the watercress over the top, fold it in just until it wilts and call it a day.

ROAST SALMON WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Combine zest, dill, salt, pepper. Using 1 tablespoon oil, brush fish with oil and top with lemon-dill mixture.
• Place salmon on pan and roast in 425 oven until cooked, about 15 minutes.
• In skillet, saute leeks in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer salmon to platter and top with leeks.

ROASTED SALMON WITH CREAMED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the veal and tomato paste into a deep, oven-proof stock pot. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes. Add the rutabaga, carrots, celery, onion, and 3 sprigs of the thyme to the pan. Continue to roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place over a medium flame. Pour in the wine and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Let simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skim any impurities that rise to the surface.
• When reduced by half, remove and strain through a fine sieve. Discard the solids and keep the sauce warm. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter and 1/4 cup of the olive oil together in a large saute pan over a low flame. Add the leeks and 2 sprigs thyme to the pan and let soften for 5 minutes. Add the cream to the leeks and continue to cook until thick, about 10 more minutes. Stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
• Use a sharp knife to split the fish open like a book, making a slice in the salmon fillet lengthwise from collar to tail about halfway between the skin and the bottom, being careful not to slice completely through the opposite side. Open the salmon like a book with the skin side down on the cutting board. Season the inside and outside of the fish with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and begin stuffing the salmon. Spread the leek mixture evenly over the fish. Then begin rolling the flesh side in towards the skin side like a jellyroll. The salmon should roll up until the skin covers the outside of the fish again. Secure with kitchen string in several places and coat the skin with extra virgin olive oil.
• Drizzle the remaining olive oil into a large roasting pan and heat over a medium-high flame. Place the salmon in the pan and sear the skin until crispy on all sides, rolling several times in the pan. Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for five minutes. Slice into 2-inch pinwheels.
• While the fish is roasting, start the mushrooms. Pour the remaining olive oil into a large saute pan over a medium flame. Add the shallots, remaining sprig of thyme, and mushrooms. Let the mushrooms cook for 10 minutes, until they release their moisture. Stir often and let the moisture evaporate. Add 3/4 cup of the sauce. Let simmer until the mushrooms absorb the sauce and then season with salt and pepper. Serve the mushrooms with a pinwheel of salmon and additional sauce.