Fish for Compliments

By Marilyn Kitzes

Mainly native to the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans, salmon is considered one of the healthiest foods thanks to its high level of omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for heart health, and high vitamin D, which is credited with preventing numerous diseases like diabetes, cancer, and arthritis. In fact, just eating at least two servings of salmon per week can help meet your omega-3 fatty acid needs. If that wasn’t enough, salmon is also scrumptious. The mild and fresh flavor of its pink flesh makes it a dining favorite.

Citrus Salmon with Black Lentils, Red Chiles, and Tomato Pinon Pesto

This recipe was conceived by chef and restaurateur Mark Miller, who is considered a pioneer of modern Southwestern cuisine. Miller is also the author of The Great Chile Book (Penguin Random House). Using ready-made sous vide salmon from Cuisine Solutions (all you do is grill), his wonderful recipe gets its pop from the pesto sauce, which incorporates whole Poblano chiles, pine nuts, olive oil, cilantro, parsley, and salt—simply divine.

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Pavé Salmon Confit with Kalamata Olive Tapenade and Golden Beets

Pull out your circulator and discover how sous vide is the best way to bring out salmon’s velvety texture. This recipe calls for an initial brine of the salmon in a saltwater solution, followed by a sous vide bath, and a quick sear over high heat before serving. Beet lovers will rejoice as well—the recipe’s golden root veggies melt in your mouth after two hours of sous vide cooking. Drizzling with a kalamata olive tapenade and a vinegar reduction creates total perfection.

Smoked Salmon Terrine

If you don’t have a smoker box in your kitchen, this recipe might provide enough of an excuse to buy one. To smoke the salmon for this recipe, you first season a salmon filet with salt and sugar, and then allow it to cure in a pouch in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Then, the salmon is dried in the refrigerator for another 24-48 hours, and then smoked for 12 hours in a smoker box like this Nordicware option (so, consider yourself forewarned: This is definitely not a last-minute dinner idea!). Sliced and layered with a salmon and cream cheese mousse, and then compressed and placed back into the refrigerator once again, this dish creates an impressive presentation that’s perfect for intermediate-to-advanced cooks.