Fillet Of Salmon With Vegetable Bouillon And Littleneck Clams Recipes

SALMON STEAKS WITH LITTLENECK CLAMS AND SAFFRON-MINT BROTH

Steps:

• In large sealable plastic bag, combine chives, basil, tarragon, parsley, 2 tablespoons mint, garlic, and 3/4 cup olive oil. Add salmon and seal bag, pressing out air. Turn bag to coat salmon, then refrigerate, turning bag over occasionally, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. (Alternatively, marinate salmon in large glass baking dish.)
• Preheat grill to moderate heat.
• Remove fish from marinade and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill steaks, turning once, until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
• In 6-quart heavy stock pot over moderate heat, heat remaining 1/2 cup olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add fennel and onion and sauté until just soft, about 2 minutes. Add wine, butter, saffron, remaining 1/2 cup mint, and clams, cover and bring to boil. Cook until clams open, about 10 minutes. Discard any clams that have not opened.
• Place 1 piece salmon on center of each of 8 wide shallow bowls. Spoon clams, broth, onions, and fennel around salmon and serve immediately.

SALMON FILLETS BRAISED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, place one tablespoon of the butter, a quarter cup of the shallots, the onions, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring, for one minute over a medium-high flame. Chop the fish bones and head coarsely and add them to the pan. Cook and stir for two minutes. Pour three cups of the wine and the water into the pan, then add the bay leaf, thyme and parsley. Reduce the cooking liquid for 45 minutes over a medium-low flame, or until it reaches about one cup. Strain the broth into a pan. Discard the vegetables.
• Select a pan large enough to hold the fish in one layer. Rub the bottom of the dish with a half teaspoon of butter and sprinkle the remaining shallots over the bottom of the pan. Arrange the fish, skin side down, in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper generously. Add the remaining half cup of wine and fish broth. Dot the fish with one tablespoon of the butter.
• Place the pan over a medium-high flame and cook, covered, for about 90 seconds, flip the fillets gently and cook another 90 seconds (cooking time may vary with thickness of the fish). The salmon should be just barely cooked in the center; do not overcook.
• Transfer the fish to a serving dish, cover with foil and keep it warm.
• Over a high flame, reduce the cooking liquid to about one cup. Strain it through a fine sieve and into a saucepan. Swirl in the remaining butter and, while hot, spoon the sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.

FILLET OF SALMON WITH VEGETABLE BOUILLON AND LITTLENECK CLAMS

Steps:

• In a pot, combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons shallots and 1 garlic clove (sliced thinly) over medium heat. Cook briefly until the shallots are wilted, then add 1/2 cup of white wine and the clams. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. As the clams open, remove them immediately with a slotted spoon. Remove meat from the shell and set aside. Strain the broth through a very fine sieve, return to the pan over medium heat and reduce to 1 cup (if the clams yield a cup of broth or less, there is no need to reduce).
• To another saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the fennel, red onions and celery. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the leeks and stir. Add the remaining wine, 3/4-cup water, thyme, bay leaf and whole clove of garlic. Do not add salt yet because the clam base is salty. Cook over high heat until the vegetables are only slightly crunchy and most of the liquid has evaporated. Cover, remove from heat, and keep warm.
• Place the salmon fillets on a steamer rack. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place water in the bottom of the steamer, bring to a boil, and place the salmon rack over it, covered with foil. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes; do not overcook. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, to the vegetable saucepan, add the clam broth, scallions, tomatoes, remaining chopped shallots, basil, salt and pepper to taste, chives and the balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about half. Remove the bay leaf and the thyme.
• Place each salmon fillet on the center of a warm plate. Arrange the vegetables and sauce over and around the fish. Garnish with celery leaves and sprinkle with sea salt.