Grilled Wild Salmon with Sweet Onion Marmalade
Executive Chef Paul Duncan
Ray's Boathouse
Seattle
Ray's Boathouse highlights locally caught wild salmon on its menu in several preparations. In this recipe, Executive Chef Paul Duncan grills the salmon over applewood with a sprinkle of kosher salt and ground pink and black peppercorns and serves it on a bed of roasted vegetables for a simple, seasonal dish. A housemade sweet onion marmalade completes the plate composition.
Ingredients
Sweet onion marmalade
2 yellow onions
4 oz. unsalted butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup yellow mustard seeds
1 cup apple cider vinegar
Water, if needed
Salt to taste
Salmon and vegetables
8 cauliflowerets
Olive oil
1 oz. ground fennel seeds
Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
4 baby carrots, cut in half
4 baby zucchini, cut in half
4 king oyster mushrooms
4 portions (8 oz. each) king or sockeye salmon
Ground pink and black peppercorns, to taste
1 tbsp. pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for garnish
Steps
1. Prepare onion marmalade: In saute pan over high heat, saute onions with butter until onions caramelize. Stir in brown sugar, mustard seed and vinegar.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer onion mixture 15 to 20 minutes until liquid evaporates.
3. Transfer mixture to blender. Gently pulse until mixture cools. Add a little warm water, if necessary, to moisten and smooth the mixture. Blend on high speed, adding more water as needed, until marmalade is smooth with a thick consistency. Remove from blender and add salt to taste; reserve.
4. For fish and vegetables: Preheat oven to 350 F. Toss cauliflower with olive oil to coat; season with ground fennel seeds and kosher salt. Place cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet; roast in oven 10 to 15 minutes until golden and slightly charred.
5. Toss carrots and zucchini with salt and pepper. Place on rimmed baking sheet; roast in oven 10 minutes or until caramelized.
6. Coat mushrooms with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill over open flame until mushrooms are slightly charred and al dente, about 5 minutes.
7. Rub salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pink and green peppercorns. Grill over applewood about 8 minutes, depending on thickness of fish, turning once. Internal temperature should reach 130 F.
8. For service, spread onion marmalade around edge of plate to form a circle. Place cauliflower, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms on one side of plate on top of marmalade. Place salmon on other side of plate, next to vegetables. Finish with olive oil and salt to taste. Sprinkle pepitas in a circle around veggies and salmon.
Photo courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute