Brissago Salmon

By
July 2019 View more

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe courtesy Ristorante Brissago executive chef Nelly Buleje.

Polenta 

2 cups water

¼ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup polenta 

¼ cup butter

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring water, heavy cream, and salt to boil in a heavy large saucepan. Gradually add polenta; whisk constantly until mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. 

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until tender creamy, stirring often, about 30 minutes. 

Stir in butter and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with
salt and pepper.

Roasted Mushrooms

Vegetable or olive oil

½ pound mushrooms, trimmed, halved or quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan. 

Add mushrooms in a single layer and toss with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. Add garlic; season with salt. 

Roast for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned. Season with pepper.

Smoked Mussels Salsa Verde 

1 tablespoon shallots, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons each chives, tarragon, mint, and chervil, destemed, washed, and dried

½ cup parsley

3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons capers

¼ ounce smoked mussels

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Combine shallots, ¼ teaspoon salt, and vinegar; marinate for 1 hour.

Stack and roll herbs, then cut crosswise into narrow slivers.

Grind herbs to a paste with
a mortar and pestle; remove from mortar and set aside. Grind garlic, capers, and mussels into a paste. 

Combine caper mixture, herbs, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add drained shallots and mix.

Seared Salmon

4 salmon fillets, skin on,
about 5 ounces each 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon salted butter,
room temperature

½ cup asparagus tips

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

cracked black pepper, to taste 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and the butter. Sauté asparagus until crisp tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Pat fish completely dry and score the skin about 4 times across the width of the fish. Season with salt and cracked black pepper. 

Heat a sauté pan on high heat; add remaining oil. Place fish in skillet, skin side down, and press down gently to prevent curling and create a beautiful crispy sear. Do not move the fish in the pan until a crust has formed. The fish is ready to flip when shaking the pan and the fish slides across. 

Flip the fillet and sear the top side for about 1 minute, then transfer to the oven and cook for 5 minutes (for medium to medium well). 

Add roasted mushrooms to sauté pan with asparagus, and cook until warm, about 2 to 3 minutes. 

To plate, spoon polenta into a wide bowl, top with asparagus-mushroom mix around the sides and place a salmon fillet in the center. Finish with 1 tablespoon of salsa verde and serve.

Photo courtesy RISTORANTE BRISSAGO