WILD KING SALMON WITH SAVORY WHIPPED CREAM

 1 ½ pounds king salmon fillet, skin off and pin bones removed

Salt and pepper

½ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Pinch of cayenne

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon snipped chives

2 tablespoons butter

Tarragon leaves, for garnish

Watercress, for garnish

Violets, nasturtiums or other edible flower petals for garnish (optional)

 

1. Slice salmon diagonally into six 4-ounce portions about ½- to ¾-inch thick (or have your fishmonger slice it). Place on a cutting board or baking sheet. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

2. Put cream in a mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until just barely thickened. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, some freshly ground pepper, the mustard, the cayenne and the lemon zest. Beat again until soft peaks form, but don’t let the cream get too stiff. Fold in chives. Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Put butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When butter begins to foam, add salmon pieces and reduce heat slightly. Cook gently on one side for about two minutes, then flip and cook one minute more. Turn off heat and let rest for two minutes. Salmon should be cooked through but moist. Be careful not to overcook.

4. Transfer salmon to a platter or individual plates. Spoon some savory whipped cream over each serving. Garnish with tarragon, watercress and flowers, if desired.

Canlis Salad

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 heads of romaine, outer leaves discarded, chopped
• 4 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 cup cubed fresh Italian bread
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup olive oil
•  Kosher salt and black pepper
• ½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
• ¾ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ¾ cup freshly grated Romano cheese

PREPARATION

1. Wash the lettuce in cold water, dry thoroughly and put in the refrigerator to chill.
2. In a large pan set over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until it is nearly crisp, then remove to a bowl. Drain off all but one tablespoon of fat, then add the bread cubes to the pan and toss to coat. Bring heat to low and toast, tossing the bread occasionally with a spoon until it is crisp. Remove to another bowl.
3. Make the dressing. Place a whole egg in its shell into a coffee cup, then pour boiling water over the top. Allow the egg to cook for 60 seconds, then remove it. Rinse with water until cool. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil, then crack the coddled egg into the bowl and whisk again, vigorously, to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
4. In a salad bowl, combine cold lettuce, scallions, mint, oregano and the reserved bacon. Toss with enough dressing to coat the lettuce, then top with the tomatoes, the croutons and a goodly shower of cheese.

Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breasts

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing wire rack
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
•  Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 100 grams)
• 2 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

PREPARATION

1. Position rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place an ovenproof wire rack over a sheet pan. Dab a folded-up paper towel with olive oil and rub it over the wire rack to grease it.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg white and Dijon mustard until smooth. Season with salt. Lay the chicken flat on a cutting board and carve each breast in half laterally so you end up with four thin cutlets. Add the chicken to the sour cream mixture and, using your hands, smear the sour cream all over the chicken.
3. In a large bowl, crush the Ritz crackers into coarse pieces with your fingers. Some crackers will turn to rubble while others turn to dust. Add the cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss until evenly distributed. Holding one of the chicken cutlets by its thinner end, add to the bowl with the crumbs and, using your hands, pack the crumbs onto the chicken, pressing them in to create a thick coating. Transfer the breaded chicken to the rack in the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining three cutlets.
4. Bake the cutlets until the outsides are crispy and the insides are no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly so the coating can set, about 5 minutes, before transferring to plates and serving.

Gâteau d’Hélène (Coconut Cake)

 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

• ¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 ½ cups/192 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar
•  Finely grated zest of 1 orange (save the juice for the filling)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

FOR THE FILLING AND FROSTING:

• ¼ cup/60 milliliters orange juice
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (or more orange juice)
• ½ cup/160 grams apricot preserves
• 1 ½ cups/360 milliliters cold heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup/66 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ cups/128 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
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PREPARATION

1. Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven, and heat to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter the paper; dust with flour and shake out the excess.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and sea salt.
3. Working with a mixer, beat together the butter, sugar and orange zest on medium speed for about 4 minutes, until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in, and scraping often.
4. Reduce the speed to low, and add half the flour mixture, beating until it almost disappears into the batter. Add the remaining flour mixture, and beat until it is incorporated. Give the batter a last stir with a spatula, then scrape it into the pan, smoothing the top.
5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack, let the cake cool 20 minutes, then run a table knife along the edges and remove the pan’s sides. Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the bottom of the pan and the parchment, turn the cake over and cool to room temperature right side up.
6. Cut the cake into three layers; flip the top layer so that the crumb is exposed.
7. Prepare the filling and frosting: Stir together the orange juice and rum (if using), and using a brush or spoon, lightly moisten each layer with the liquid, then spread with apricot preserves.
8. Working with a mixer, whip the cream just until it holds soft peaks, and add the vanilla. Working on medium speed, add the sugar in a slow, steady stream; stop beating when all the sugar is incorporated and the cream is firm. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the cream into a small bowl, and stir in about 2/3 cup of the shredded coconut. You’ll have a very thick mixture.
9. Place the layer that was the top of the cake on a serving platter, jam side up, and cover with half the coconut cream. Top with the middle layer, jam side up, and spread with the remaining coconut cream. Place the last layer on the cake, jam side down. Using an icing spatula or a table knife, frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream, then coat with the remaining shredded coconut.
10. The cake can be served now, but it tastes and cuts better after it’s been refrigerated for at least an hour.

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Blueberry Pecan Crunch Cake

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ cups/337 grams sour cream
• ¾ cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 stick), melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ¼ cups/250 grams granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ cups/312 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups/200 grams blueberries
• ⅔ cup/85 grams chopped pecans (or walnuts or almonds)
• 2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-by-9-inch metal pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt until everything is well combined. Whisk in sugar. Add the dry ingredients in this order: baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon, whisking well in between additions. Then, whisk in the flour until just combined. Fold in blueberries.
3. Using a spatula, scrape the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the nuts and Demerara sugar. Bake until the top is golden and puffed, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the cake to a rack, and let it cool in the pan.