Caviar And Smoked Salmon On Toasted Brioche Cubes Recipes

SMOKED SALMON EGGS BENEDICT WITH CAVIAR AND SAUCE MALTAISE

Steps:

• For the sauce, prepare a double boiler with a medium pot of water with a bowl set over the top. Bring the water to a simmer.
• In a small pot, combine the orange juice and zest, black peppercorns and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Place over mellow heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Whisk together the egg yolks and a pinch of salt in the bowl set over the double boiler, making sure the water below is simmering. Continue to whisk until the yolks are pale yellow and warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of water if it thickens too much.
• Remove the bowl from the heat. Slowly drizzle in the clarified butter, whisking to form an emulsion. Add the orange juice reduction and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the double boiler and set aside in a warm place.
• Add water halfway up a large straight-sided pan and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining teaspoon vinegar to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Stir the water clockwise, then add the whole eggs, one at a time, to the swirling water. Poach the eggs, at a medium simmer, until soft-cooked, 2 to 3 minutes each for a runny yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a kitchen bowl or paper towels.
• Top the English muffins with the avocado, followed by a piece of smoked salmon, a poached egg and some of the Maltaise sauce. Garnish each with some Pickled Onion, dill and caviar.
• Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spice and 2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then pour over the onions in a bowl. Allow to sit for 3 days in the fridge before serving.

SLOW-BAKED SALMON WITH AVRUGA CAVIAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 250°F.
• Spread butter over bottom of a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel. Put salmon, skin sides down, in dish and bake, uncovered, until just cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
• About 10 minutes before salmon is done, put créme fraîche in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just melted. Transfer to a blender along with water and caviar and purée into a very smooth emulsion. Return to saucepan and keep warm, uncovered, over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Thin sauce slightly with a little additional hot water if too thick.
• Just before salmon is done baking, heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add greens in 3 batches, stirring and turning with tongs until greens are slightly wilted before adding each new batch, and continue to cook, stirring, until completely wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Push greens to one side of skillet and pour off liquid (discarding it). Divide greens among 4 plates. Top greens with salmon and season lightly with fleur de sel, then squeeze some of lime juice from wedges over salmon. Stir 1/2 teaspoon lime juice into sauce and spoon onto plates.

EASY, CRISPY BRIOCHE-CRUSTED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.
• Season the salmon fillets with the salt and set aside.
• Using a serrated knife, trim away the crust from the sides of the brioche loaf, then make four long lengthwise slices that are about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Lay a slice of brioche on a cutting board and place a salmon fillet lengthwise in the center; it should fall within the border of the crust. Use your knife to trim away the bread around the salmon. It's best to hold the knife flat against the edges of the salmon and press straight down (using the same motion as with a cookie cutter) to get an even cutout around the fish. Repeat with the remaining fillets and brioche slices, setting the finished fillets brioche-side down on a plate or tray.
• Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Put in the oil and butter; when the butter begins to bubble and foam, gently place the salmon, brioche-side down, in the pan. Work in batches if you can't fit all the fillets in the pan at once. Shake the pan a little to make sure the brioche is not sticking, then scatter the garlic and thyme sprigs around the fish. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally and basting the oil-butter mixture over the fish with a spoon until the bread is golden brown, about 1 minute.
• Flip the fillets brioche-side up, transfer the pan to the center oven rack, and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through but still has a touch of dark pink inside (about 145°F). Keep in mind, it will continue cooking a little even after you remove it from the oven!
• Blot the fish with a paper towel and transfer to plates, brioche-side up. Serve immediately.

SMOKED SALMON AND CAVIAR PANINI

Steps:

• Butter 1 side the brioche slices (they'll be the outsides of the sandwiches).
• Gently fold the caviar and chives into the creme fraiche.
• On a clean work surface, arrange brioche buttered-side down. Place the smoked salmon on 4 of the slices and spread the creme fraiche over the others. Put the 2 together to make 4 sandwiches.
• Toast the sandwiches in a large skillet over a medium heat, turning once, until golden brown. Cut the panini into wedges and serve topped with dill sprigs.

LE BERNARDIN'S SALMON-CAVIAR CROQUE-MONSIEUR

Steps:

• Put the bread on a work surface. Cover two of the slices with cheese in a single layer. Spread a layer of caviar on the cheese, not quite to the edges. Cover with a slice of smoked salmon, trimmed to fit exactly to the edge of the bread. Top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lay the sandwiches in the skillet and cook, pressing down gently with a spatula, taking care that none of the caviar oozes out, until browned on one side. Add the remaining butter, turn the sandwiches over and fry on the second side until toasted. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board, slice each in quarters and serve.

BLINIS WITH SMOKED SALMON AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Place milk and 3 tablespoons butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat just until butter melts. Meanwhile, whisk together both flours, sugar, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. Pour warm milk mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until doubled in volume, 1½-1¾ hours.
• After resting, batter will be bubbly and lofty. Whisk to deflate; then stir in beaten eggs just to incorporate-the texture should be silky. Meanwhile, set a skillet over medium heat and add a tablespoon of butter. Working in batches, pour 2 tablespoons batter for each blini onto skillet, spacing apart. Cook until bubbles form on top and they begin to pop, about 1½ minutes. Turn blinis; cook until golden brown on bottom, another 1½ minutes (add more butter to the pan as you need it). Transfer blinis to a serving platter. Tent with foil to keep warm while you cook remaining blinis. Makes approximately 12 blinis.
• Assembly: Serve blinis with a dollop of crème fraîche, smoked salmon, and caviar-the more the better!

CAVIAR AND SMOKED SALMON ON TOASTED BRIOCHE CUBES

Steps:

• Cut bread slices into about thirty 1-inch cubes. Cut salmon lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips and crosswise into 4-inch-long pieces. In a large non-stick skillet heat 3 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and brown half of cubes on 2 opposite sides until golden, about 2 minutes, transferring to a platter. Brown remaining cubes in same manner.
• Top each cube decoratively with salmon, caviar, and crème fraîche or sour cream.