Red Wine Salmon

I made this dish a couple times now and it gets a little bit better each time. It is a bit fattening (there is an entire stick of butter in the sauce) but is great if you want to impress. I got the recipe from my Mark Bittman book, How to Cook Everything.

I found some great looking salmon at Citarella with BP II and was very excited to try something a little different. I think we are both tired of my lemon caper sauce. I paired it with some buttered orzo and a light salad with homemade croutons.

Ingredients:

4 Salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
1 TB shallot, chopped
2 Cups of Red Wine
2 TBL red wine vinegar
8 TBL of butter

Red Wine Sauce

Brown shallot in a medium saucepan. Add red wine and vinegar and let reduce by 1/3. Turn heat down to low. When the liquid has reduced, start adding the butter one tablespoon at a time. The sauce is ready when the liquid becomes creamy and rich.

Salmon

Salt and pepper salmon fillets on both sides. Heat a medium size NONSTICK with about 2 TBL of olive oil to medium heat. (Very important. It is so frustrating to try and flip your fish and the whole thing falls apart before your eyes. ) When the pan is good and hot, place your fish in the pan skin side up. Cook for about 5 minutes or until a nice brown crust forms. Flip and do the same for the other side. When fish is cooked though, top with red wine sauce.

Parmesan Bread Crumb Crusted Salmon with Cucumber Salad

 This is probably a very unhealthy way to cook salmon but it is delish. The cucumber salad was good but I think it needs the sesame oil like the recipe calls for. I used olive oil which is a less flavorful oil for sure. BP II requested the white balsamic vinegar risotto so I choose that as my starch to finish off the meal. The fish was fast and easy to cook. The risotto actually took the longest and requires some pretty serious TLC. A very convenient weeknight meal with some flair, if I do say so myself.

Parmesan Bread Crumb Crusted Salmon

Ingredients:

2 Salmon fillets
½ flour
1 cup bread crumbs
¼ parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 TBL of oregano
1 lemon
1 TBL of minced garlic

Directions:

1.) Salt and pepper the salmon. Preheat oven to 400° and cut lemon in half. Place lemon in oven cut side up and roast for 15 minutes.

2.) Lay out 3 dishes. Combine flour, parmesan, garlic and oregano on the fist. Flour on the second and whisked egg on the third.

3.) Heat pan on med- high and add some oil. Dredge fillet in flour, then egg, and roll in breadcrumbs. When oil is hot place fish skin side up and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until a brown crust forms.

4.) Finish fillets in the oven at 400° for 6 minutes. Sprinkle salmon with roasted lemon just before serving.


Cucumber Salad

1.) Thinly slice a cucumber season with salt and let sit for 15 minutes.

2.) Squeeze excess water with paper towel and place in bowl. Drizzle with rice vinegar and sesame oil in equal proportions. Toss with sesame seeds and salt and pepper to taste.