Pan-seared Wild Sockeye Salmon with a Red Wine and Balsamic Reduction and Honey Goat Cheese Orzo
The grill has to be the best cooking apparatus for wild salmon, but every now and again I like the crispy, pan-seared variety. This technique will brown the skin and flesh, leaving a carmelized surface and a medium rare interior with excellent moisture and a melt in your mouth texture. Couple that with a sweet red
wine and balsamic reduction and a creamy orzo and you have got a perfectly balanced meal with robust flavors.
Orzo is like risottos big brother. A rice-like impasta with a soft texture and the ability to absorb flavors from just about anything around it. With its larger size, it doesn’t get quite as creamy as risotto. This is why I cheat with a little softened goat cheese and honey. It adds a nice sweetness and texture enhancement. I also add capers for a salt balance and roasted peppers and peas for additional sweetness.
Wild Sockeye Salmon
- 1 full fillet of wild sockeye salmon, skin on
- freshly ground salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 clove garlic, pressed and minced
Pour your oil into a large medium-hot pan. You want to sear it, not burn it, so medium heat would make it too dry and high would scorch the skin and leave the inside too rare. Medium-hot works best to sear the exterior and hold in those natural juices. While your pan is heating, dress your salmon fillet, skin side down, with fresh minced garlic and herbs and season well with salt and pepper. Pour a little extra oil over the salmon and press the herbs into the meat. Slice filet into six or seven 3″ planks. Cook on each side for about 4 minutes or until the outside is nicely browned and the inside is med rare. Do not overcook! Remember you can eat high-quality salmon raw (sashimi) so buy high-quality salmon and cook med rare. The skin should be crispy.
Red Wine Balsamic Reduction
- 1 cup burgundy wine
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed and minced
- 1.5 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
In a small saucepan, heat your oil on medium for two minutes. Toss in your shallots and garlic and cook for two or three more minutes. Add the wine, vinegar, and honey and reduce by three quarters, adding the butter in the last 5 minutes of reducing. It should be a nice syrupy sauce with small chunks of minced wine-infused shallots.
Goat Cheese Orzo
- 1 pound orzo, cooked to al dente in salt water
- 2 roasted red peppers, 1/2″ julienne in 1-2″ short sticks
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen (thawed)
- 2 oz. soft goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper
Combine orzo, goat cheese, and honey in a large pan, continuously stirring until the cheese is incorporated. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to stir until well mixed. Serve as a bed for your main protein.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Wild Sockeye Salmon
Servings: 3-4
Food energy: 245kcal Saturated fatty acids: 3.77g Monounsaturated fatty acids: 19.71g Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 2.88g Total fat: 26.36g Calories from fat: 237 Cholesterol: -- Carbohydrate, by difference: 1.93g Total dietary fiber: 0.48g Protein: 0.42g Total lipid (fat): 27.13g Water: 1.88g Ash: 0.23g Total sugars: 0.05g Calcium: 29mg Iron: 1.63mg Magnesium: 4mg Phosphorus: 7mg Potassium: 38mg Sodium: -- Zinc: 0.12mg Copper: 0.02mg Manganese: 0.18mg Selenium: 0.50μg Vitamin C: 1.74mg Thiamin: 0.01mg Riboflavin: 0.02mg Niacin: 0.12mg Pantothenic acid: 0.02mg Vitamin B6: 0.06mg Folate, total: 3μg Folic acid: -- Food folate: 3μg Folate: 3μg dietary folate equivalents Vitamin B12: -- Vitamin A: 63IU Vitamin A RAE: 2μg retinol activity equivalents Retinol: -- Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol): 3.95mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone): 33.45μg Alpha-carotene: -- Beta-carotene: 22μg Beta-cryptoxanthin: -- Lycopene: -- Lutein+zeazanthin: 18μg Percent refuse: --
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Red Wine and Balsamic Reduction
Servings: 4
Food energy: 138kcal Saturated fatty acids: 2.74g Monounsaturated fatty acids: 1.12g Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 0.17g Total fat: 4.02g Calories from fat: 36 Cholesterol: 11mg Carbohydrate, by difference: 14.46g Total dietary fiber: 0.05g Protein: 0.35g Total lipid (fat): 4.33g Water: 68.32g Ash: 0.33g Total sugars: 11.02g Calcium: 9mg Iron: 0.22mg Magnesium: 2mg Phosphorus: 8mg Potassium: 38mg Sodium: 4mg Zinc: 0.07mg Copper: 0.02mg Manganese: 0.06mg Selenium: 0.38μg Vitamin C: 0.72mg Thiamin: 0.00mg Riboflavin: 0.01mg Niacin: 0.03mg Pantothenic acid: 0.03mg Vitamin B6: 0.03mg Folate, total: -- Folic acid: -- Food folate: -- Folate: -- Vitamin B12: 0.01μg Vitamin A: 162IU Vitamin A RAE: 37μg retinol activity equivalents Retinol: 35μg Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol): 0.12mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone): 0.40μg Alpha-carotene: -- Beta-carotene: 8μg Beta-cryptoxanthin: -- Lycopene: -- Lutein+zeazanthin: -- Percent refuse: --
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Honey Goat Cheese Orzo
Servings: 6
Food energy: 308kcal Saturated fatty acids: 1.61g Monounsaturated fatty acids: 0.87g Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 0.78g Total fat: 3.26g Calories from fat: 29 Cholesterol: 4mg Carbohydrate, by difference: 62.86g Total dietary fiber: 9.03g Protein: 8.12g Total lipid (fat): 3.64g Water: 25.43g Ash: 1.39g Total sugars: 1.75g Calcium: 20mg Iron: 1.11mg Magnesium: 96mg Phosphorus: 228mg Potassium: 255mg Sodium: 122mg Zinc: 1.60mg Copper: 0.25mg Manganese: 0.43mg Selenium: 6.50μg Vitamin C: 4.96mg Thiamin: 0.21mg Riboflavin: 0.12mg Niacin: 2.15mg Pantothenic acid: 0.44mg Vitamin B6: 0.20mg Folate, total: 28μg Folic acid: -- Food folate: 28μg Folate: 28μg dietary folate equivalents Vitamin B12: 0.02μg Vitamin A: 322IU Vitamin A RAE: 38μg retinol activity equivalents Retinol: 26μg Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol): 0.06mg Vitamin K (phylloquinone): 3.87μg Alpha-carotene: 2μg Beta-carotene: 61μg Beta-cryptoxanthin: -- Lycopene: -- Lutein+zeazanthin: 299μg Percent refuse: --
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