Salmon with garlic sauce and quinoa

By
December 2019 View more

Yield: 2 servings

olive oil

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

whole milk

1 bulb fennel, cut into thin julienne strips

6 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into julienne strips

1–3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped, divided

¼ cup (plus 1 tablespoon) white wine, divided

¼ cup vegetable stock 

1 cup quinoa, cooked

2 8-ounce salmon fillets, cut in half (two squares)

1 lemon

2 tablespoons butter

fresh herbs or micro greens

cauliflower purÉe

In a hot cast-iron skillet, add a thin layer of olive oil, then cauliflower. Toss, seasoning with salt and pepper, and lower heat to prevent burning. Cook until cauliflower turns a deep, dark color. 

Add enough milk to slightly cover the florets and simmer on stovetop until liquid is reduced by half.

Cool slightly then puree in a blender. Purée can be made the day before; reheat before plating.

quinoa

In a hot, 8-to-10-inch sauté pan add a splash of oil, fennel, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic (to taste), then season with salt and pepper. 

Cook until fennel is slightly tender, then add ¼ cup white wine and vegetable stock to the pan. Fold in quinoa, then keep warm until ready to plate.

salmon and sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a hot nonstick sauté pan, add a thin layer of oil and seasoned salmon fillets. Shake slightly to prevent sticking; when golden brown, carefully flip salmon with a spatula, then place in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes (for medium-rare). Remove and keep warm.

Using the same pan, add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic and stir to avoid burning. Add ¼ cup white wine, juice from ½ lemon, and simmer until reduced by half. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring constantly. 

Place two small mounds of cauliflower puree on a warm plate, topping with quinoa and fennel mixture, then salmon, then sauce. Garnish with your choice of herbs or micro greens.

Recipe courtesy B Restaurant executive chef Mark P. Maassen

Photo courtesy Oak Brook Hills Resort