Salmon and Lentils

We made a variation on a recipe from the Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers. Her recipe is called: Salmon Cooked with Flageolets, Bacon, & Red Wine. We substituted Lentils for the Flageolets. The Wild salmon was Salmon from McCall’s Meat and Fish. It was perfectly done and was delicious. This like most of Judy’s recipe is a little complicated but worth it. This is a restaurant level dish. It also photographs beautifully! It tastes as good as it looks!

Salmon Cooked with Flageolets, Bacon, & Red Wine

The Zuni Café Cookbook

Judy Rodgers

An earthy salmon dish, best made with fat, late-summer salmon which will stand up to the challenge of the other long, rich flavors. We use Pacific salmon-Sacramento River Basin Kings or wild Alaskan-for this, or any salmon dish. All commercial salmon labeled "Atlantic" is farmed; I find its flavor disap­pointing to dreadful, and the environmental effects of salmon farming can be dev­astating to surrounding waters and wild fish. Choose fat pieces of fish; thin tail pieces will cook too rapidly. As long as you don't overcook the salmon, or over-reduce the sauce, the result will be satiny and succulent. You can substitute lentils for the flageolets.

Be prepared to adjust the oven temperature or distance from the broiler as necessary when you make this dish.

for 4 servings:

4 pieces salmon fillet, preferably King, about 6 ounces each and 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick

Salt

1-1/3 cups medium-bodied red wine, such as Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, or a light Merlot

3/4 cup Chicken Stock

3 ounces thickly sliced bacon or braised bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips

About 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced and chilled 1/2 cup finely diced carrots {2 ounces}

1/2 cup finely diced celery (2 ounces]

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onions [2 ounces]

2 cups cooked flageolets , drained, cooking liquid reserved

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

Seasoning the salmon

For the best flavor, do this several hours in advance}: Season the salmon evenly with salt. Cover loosely and refrigerate.

Cooking the salmon:

Preheat the broiler. Position the rack about 6 inches from the element.

Place the wine in a small saucepan and reduce to about 1/3 cup. Add the chicken stock and return to a simmer. Turn off the heat.

Place the bacon in a 12- or 14-inch ovenproof skillet and lightly brown it in its own fat over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly and pour off all but a film of the fat. Add about 2 tablespoons of the butter, the carrots, celery, onions, and 1 sprig of the thyme. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.

Add the flageolets, about 1 cup of the red wine-stock mixture, the bay leaf, another sprig of thyme, and about 3 tablespoons of the butter. Raise the heat to medium and swirl as the liquid comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, add the salmon, and swirl and tilt the pan to baste the top of the fish. Make sure no beans, bacon, or bits of vegetables are perched on top of the fish, where they could burn. The pieces of fish should not be touching one another.

Place the pan under the broiler. Cook for about 6 or 7 minutes; the salmon should be quite rare and the whole surface of the dish should be sizzling and beginning to color. Watch closely; if the fish or beans threaten to char at any point, reduce the oven temperature to 500°

While the fish is cooking, set four plates in the oven to heat for a minute or so, then remove.

Transfer the pan to the stovetop. Using a spatula and tongs, transfer the salmon onto the warm plates, where it should reach medium-rare as you finish the sauce. Protect from drafts.

Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Taste. If the liquid looks or tastes thin, simmer briefly to reduce and allow the starch from the beans to bind the sauce. If it seems winy, add a splash of the reserved bean cooking liquid. If you want more sauce, add the last splash of red wine-stock mixture and some bean liquid. Correct the salt. Reduce the heat and swirl in some or all of the remaining butter, to your taste.

Spoon the saucy beans over the waiting fish.