There’s something instantly appetizing about a piece of salmon. The color is so rich, the texture so flaky one can almost taste the resplendent sweetness as it sits beckoning on the plate. At Gabrielles, Chef J completes his presentation with a unique supporting cast. The salmon rests upon a rock shrimp and Yukon potato hash. I know from many experiences that the salmon will be moist and sweet and my anticipation will be pleasantly rewarded, yet I always enjoy a few bites of the hash before the salmon. The hash can be enjoyed as an accompaniment to other dishes later so make extra. The following recipe is enough for two servings with the salmon. We will combine the hash base with a shrimp and spinach sauté and top with chives and green onion, and just a few dollops of crème freche. Sitting atop this colorful and mouthwatering bed is resting the whole reason we’re here, a pillowy and beautiful 8 oz. piece of salmon with a bbq sauce as a finish. I could be done here and just move on to the recipe, but lets talk salmon for a minute. You could use Atlantic salmon or Icelandic salmon, which here on the east coast we have enjoyed for years. Or you could get just a bit more adventurous and try the many (somewhat seasonal) varieties of west coast salmon. Alaskan, Copper River and Coho are the most popular west coast options and each one has an inescapable flavor that allows the west coast salmon to affirm its unique character. I’ve always found the west coast variety to possess a mild and slightly less “fishy” taste. Try them all and each time you make this recipe you’ll enjoy the salmon with a slightly different and new appeal. Atlantic Seafood in Old Saybrook is always a great place to buy fresh fish. Of course the West Coast variety will be frozen, but it’s immediately frozen when caught so it will retain all the terrific flavor for which it is so well known.
Grilled BBQ Salmon
Pre-Heat oven to 500 degrees
Yukon Potato Hash:
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1/2 red pepper chopped
- 4 pieces of bacon
- 1 large Yukon Gold potato
- 4 oz. rock shrimp
- 1 bag of fresh spinach
- 2 pieces of chopped garlic
Steam potatoes in a double boiler and fry the bacon until slightly crisp. Cool the potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. Chop the bacon into small bits. Pour 1 Tbls. of olive oil into the fry pan over medium high flame and heat to shimmering. Add the onion and red pepper and saute until onion is translucent. Add the potatoes and bacon to onion and red pepper mix, blend carefully. In a separate saute pan fry the shrimp until pink, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp to the base mixture. Saute the spinach and garlic in a small amount of oil and set aside but keep warm. Fold the spinach and potato hash mixture together and set aside to keep warm.
Salmon
- 1 80z. salmon filet per aerving
- salt and pepper
Heat oven to 500 degrees. Chef J like to sauté the salmon in a 10% combination of olive oil and vegetable oil (10% Olive oil, 90% vegetable mixture). Heat oil in an oven safe medium fry pan on medium high heat. Remove the belly flap from the salmon to insure even cooking. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon on one side only for about 2 minutes. Flip the salmon over and place into oven for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip again and brush with bbq sauce and cook and additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Place a generous amount of the potato hash in the center of a dinner plate, add (at room temperature) two small spoonfuls of creme fraiche to the hash allowing it to heat and mix on its own. Place the finished salmon on top of the hash and brush with warmed bbq sauce and serve immediately.
