Beautifully cooked salmon doesn’t require any additional flavors. Just salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon is plenty. Or a shower of fresh basil chiffonade. Or serve the fish next to a salad and let the extra salad dressing lend flavor to the fish. Or baste it during cooking. Or go ahead, gild the lily and make a sauce to spoon over.
Tzatziki Sauce
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into tiny dice
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 Tbsps. chopped green onions
2 Tbsps. chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
Honey-mustard Butter
2 Tbsps. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
6 Tbsps. cold butter, cut into chunks
1 tsp. thyme leaves
Mix vinegar, honey and mustard in small saucepan. Stir in crushed thyme. Cook on medium heat 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, gently swirling pan over heat until each tablespoon of butter is incorporated—you don’t want it to melt, just stay creamy (butter must soften gradually to form a creamy sauce. If necessary, move pan off heat to keep it from getting too hot.). Stir gently until sauce is smooth and well blended. Serve sauce over fish.
Coconut-ginger Sauce
1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk
1 1/2 tsps. chili paste
1 1/2 tsps. grated fresh ginger
3 tsps. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 tsps. fish sauce
2 tsps. packed light brown sugar
Stir together in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and let simmer until slightly thickened.
DID YOU KNOW?
Largely because of modern farming methods, Americans don’t tend to think of seasonality when it comes to animal protein. Phrases like “spring chicken” don’t mean anything anymore. But because fish are wild creatures, season does matter. And wild salmon is in season from late spring to early fall. That means now.
HOT PLATES: Grilled, roasted and sautéed, salmon is celebrated on menus across Salt Lake
Aristo’s, 224 S. 1300 East, SLC, 801-581-0888
Solomos: Grilled fresh, all-natural salmon with lentil pilaf, tabouleh. This isn’t a traditional Greek fish—there are no salmon in the Mediterranean—but an example of how versatile this fish can be.
J. Wong’s, 163 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-350-0888
Panang Pla Salmon: Charcoal-grilled salmon topped with panang curry reduction and kaffir lime leaves; served with grilled bell peppers.
Kimi’s Chop & Oyster House, 2155 S. Highland Dr., SLC, 801-946-2079
Sautéed Pacific Salmon: Half roasted tomatoes, hickory smoked bacon, sautéed fresh rock shrimp, sweet chili butter sauce and fingerlings.
La Caille, 9565 Wasatch Road, SLC, 801-942-1751
Roasted King Salmon Benedict: Poached eggs top salmon and an English muffin with hollandaise and crispy potatoes.
Sea Salt, 1709 E. 1300 South, SLC, 801-349-1480
Grilled Shetland Island Scottish Salmon: With insalata di pantelleria—arugula, fingerling potato, sweet onion, fennel frond, celery leaf, parsley, caper, house-cured black olives and lemon.
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See more inside the Summer 2017 issue.
