Peppercorn Crusted Salmon with Wine & Butter Sauce

 

       Now, this is a special one - my favorite salmon recipe of all time!  I am a salmon-lover.  In fact, I get frustrated with myself while eating out, I always gravitate to the salmon offering and almost have to be ripped away from that section of the menu to try new things!  But it wasn't always so.....I was a sworn fish-hater growing up.  The only thing I knew about fish in landlocked Utah was frozen fish sticks and an occasional rainbow trout - the trout was okay but gagging on tiny fishbones was not and I declared I did not like fish.  Yes, we had the Great Salt Lake nearby but the only thing fished from that lake is salt,

       Fast forward to years lived on Puget Sound in Washington State.  Still not convinced, I was horrified when friends brought 2 large freshly caught salmon to our door.  They were quickly dispatched to the bathtub and I told my husband he would have to deal with them.  I don't think they were ever cooked and I still regret that oversight.

       My conversion took place on Blake Island, off of Seattle, at TillicumVillage.  I went with a group of Mexican foreign exchange students that I was in charge of and the menu had one main dish - salmon.  It was grilled over alder wood and served on wooden planks and it only took one bite to convert me. I was in love!  Oh, what I had been missing all my life.  

       From there I went out of my way to find salmon recipes and am still trying to perfect cooking it to the perfect degree of doneness that many restaurants are able to achieve.  But this recipe, which wandered into my home in the pages of a cooking magazine (I've now forgotten which) caught my attention by the addition of the crushed peppercorns and the brine marinade.

       It became a staple on my entertainment table and received raves from those that weren't as suspicious of salmon as I had been.  I have probably prepared it 50 times and find it to be predictably delicious every time.  Over the years I made a few changes to the recipe but found that it was best left pretty much alone.  The salty brine with the liquid smoke, tenderize the salmon, and the honey and crushed peppercorn spread on top create a contrast and depth of flavors - smoky, salty, peppery are intriguing by themselves but the addition of the wine, shallot, butter sauce raise it to pure indulgence.

       This is one to add to your elegant recipes and to the fish section of your recipe files......which section I didn't have until age 32!  If you need to convert anyone to fish, this recipe might be just the missionary you need!

Peppercorn-Crusted Salmon

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

4 1/2 tablespoons mixed peppercorns

1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

1 teaspoon whole allspice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground

2 pounds whole salmon fillet

3 tablespoons honey

chopped fresh dill for garnish

Sauce:

     1 cup dry white wine

     1 shallot, finely minced

     2 tablespoon wine vinegar

     1/2 cup whipping cream

     6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

     1/2 tablespoon flour

     salt & pepper to taste

     For Salmon: Mix water, brown sugar, salt, ginger,

          allspice, peppercorns and liquid smoke in  

          medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until 

          sugar dissolves. Simmer 10 minutes.  Cool 

          completely.

    Place salmon in large glass baking dish.  Pour

          brine over.  Cover and refrigerate 6 - 8 hours,

          turning occasionally.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove salmon 

          from brine and pat dry.  Arrange salmon on

         large, well-greased or oiled baking sheet. Strain

         brine into heavy medium saucepan.  Place all

         peppercorns in plastic bag.  Using rolling pin

         or bottom of heavy saucepan, coarsely crush

         peppercorns.  Add back to brine and simmer

         over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Strain, 

         reserving peppercorns.  Discard brine.

    Spread top of salmon fillet with honey.  Divide

          peppercorn mixture over honey, pressing

          gently to adhere.  Bake salmon until cooked

          through, about 20 minutes.

    Meanwhile prepare sauce:  Combine wine, shallot

         and vinegar in heavy smalls saucepan.  Boil 

         until liquid is reduced to half, about 10 minutes            Add cream and boil until liquid is reduced to

         1/4 cup, about 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.

         Place 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl and

         smash flour into it with a fork until it makes a 

         paste.  Add to sauce then gradually add rest of 

         the butter, whisking just until melted and sauce

         has thickened.  Season sauce to taste with salt &

         pepper.

   Transfer salmon to large serving platter. Pour 

         sauce around salmon or serve on the side in a

         small pitcher.  Garnish with dill sprigs, cherry 

         tomatoes and lemon slices.   Serves 10 - 12.  

Soak salmon fillet in brine solution

 for several hours.

Wine, butter sauce adds a delectable richness.

PERSNICKETY  NOTES:

**I like to use Costco's skinned salmon fillets for this dish.  Skinned fish

    allows the brine marinade to permeate both sides and makes it easier

    for guests to eat.

**If you like the look of a very smooth sauce, food process the shallots 

    into the mixture before adding the cream.

**I usually add a bed of a few long tapered greens like Romaine to the

    platter and place the salmon on it.

**Let the salmon rest 5 - 6 minutes before removing from the baking 

    sheet.  Then use 2 wide spatulas to carefully move the fish to the

    serving tray, making it less likely that it will break.  If it does break

    garnish away!