Salmon Steak Au Poivre Recipes

SALMON AU POIVRE (OR: THE DISAPPEARING FISH TRICK)

Steps:

• drop one and only one piece of fish in a tupperware box that would just barely fit both pieces of salmon if you stacked them. (this is foreshadowing.).
• pour two capfuls of soysauce (2 T or so) on top of fish. peel garlic, and mash the hell out if it. smear on top of fish like you're polishing brass. pour one capful (1 T or so) of rice vinegar or lemon juice on top of fish. put two teaspoons of sugar on top of fish, smear around like you're trying to cleanse the fish of its sins.
• put other piece of fish on top of the first piece of fish, so you've made a raw-fish-and-marinade sandwich, and seal box. shake a few times, stick in refrigerator. go do something else for twenty-five minutes.
• come back twenty-five minutes later, heat skillet on just less than high. add one swirl around the pan of olive oil. while oil heats, pull the fish out of the box, and gently wipe excess marinade and pat dry. cover both sides of your fish with pepper--about a teaspoon on each side, enough that the flesh is covered.
• put fish in pan when the oil is almost ready to smoke. flip after two minutes, wait two minutes, remove from pan and place on papertowel. (the fish is done when it feels slightly firm to the touch, and is just barely opaque on the inside. if it's not done at this point, stick it in the microwave for thirty seconds at a time.) wait a minute or so for the heat to move completely through the fish.
• served with a mache (lamb's lettuce, or feldsalat) salad with a hollandaise-ish dressing, some crusty bread, and a couple bottles of beer.

STEAK AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt.
• Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.
• In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.
• Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.

SALMON AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice and sugar.
• Add salmon steaks and turn to coat.
• Let marinate at least 30 minutes.
• Remove salmon from marinade and pat dry.
• Coat each side of the salmon steaks with one teaspoon of the pepper, pressing in well.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet (not a grill pan).
• Add salmon steaks and saute 2-3 minutes on each side, until done to your liking.

AU POIVRE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are nearly translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Raise the heat to high, and add the pepper and brandy to the pan. Simmer the brandy for one minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture has reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the evaporated milk into the cornstarch.
• Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste, and serve.
• healthy tips
• Got (evaporated) milk? Try replacing heavy cream with evaporated skim milk in cooked foods like sauces, custards, pies, and cakes. At 25 calories per 2-tablespoon serving, compared to 40 calories for cream (and none of those coming from fat), you can have your custard and eat it, too.
• nutrition information
• Fat: 14g (before), 0.6g (after)
• Calories: 152 (before), 23 (after)
• Protein: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 2g
• Cholesterol: 2mg
• Fiber: 0g
• Sodium: 51mg

SALMON STEAK AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Crack the pepper by pressing down on it with a heavy cast-iron skillet, 1 tablespoon at a time. Put the pepper in a bowl large enough to accommodate 1 steak.
• Using the pointed end of a vegetable peeler, hull the blackberries. Tear each berry into a few sections and gently mix with the pepper. Avoid mashing.
• Press a salmon steak into the pepper mixture, flip and repeat. Repeat with 2 more steaks. Spread a teaspoon of the salt in a large, dry skillet, preheated over medium heat. Add the 3 steaks and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning with a heavy square metal spatula to better keep the crust intact. Repeat with the remaining salt and remaining steaks.
• Garnish each steak with the chervil and serve immediately.

SIMPLE STEAK AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Put steaks in a shallow dish and season well on both sides with salt. Sprinkle black pepper and Sichuan pepper evenly over steaks. Press pepper into both sides with hands and leave for 10 minutes.
• Put a large cast iron skillet over high heat. When surface is nearly smoking, swirl 1 tablespoon butter in the pan and add steaks. Adjust heat as necessary to keep steaks sizzling briskly.
• Cook for 2 minutes on first side; seared side should be nicely browned. Flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer steaks to a warm platter.
• Make the sauce: Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Add shallots and sauté for a minute or so, stirring, until they begin to brown. Add broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Add Cognac and continue to simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche and cook until sauce is lightly thickened.
• Return steaks to pan to warm, spooning sauce over them and turning once. Arrange steaks on platter or individual plates and top with more sauce. Garnish with bouquets of watercress and serve immediately.

PORTOBELLO 'STEAK' AU POIVRE

Steps:

• Brush the mushrooms all over with olive oil. Sprinkle the pepper evenly over the gill sides (about 1/2 teaspoon per mushroom). Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high, then add the mushrooms gill side up and sear until the underside is browned and the gill side looks wet, 3 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and the pepper is fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Flip the mushrooms so they're gill side up, then add the butter and garlic, and season with salt. While stirring the garlic to keep it from scorching, tilt the skillet to spoon up the melting butter and baste the mushrooms until tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate, leaving the butter in the skillet.
• Add the shallot and stir until softened, 2 to 4 minutes, adding a little more butter if the pan is dry. Stand back, and carefully add the Cognac. (It might flame.) Stir until the Cognac has nearly evaporated. Add the heavy cream and mustard, season with salt, and stir to combine. Return the mushrooms to the pan gill side down, and cook until the cream is thickened and the color of a latte, 2 to 4 minutes. Eat the mushrooms with a drizzle of the sauce.