Hostellerie Du Cerfs Salmon With Lentils Bacon And Horseradish Cream Food

SALMON WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan, add the onions, leeks, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the drained lentils, celery, carrots, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add the vinegar and season, to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the salmon, heat a dry oven-proof saute pan over high heat for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, rub both sides of the salmon fillets with olive oil and season the tops very liberally with salt and pepper. When the pan is very hot, place the salmon fillets seasoning-sides down in the pan and cook over medium heat without moving them for 2 minutes, until very browned. Turn the fillets and place the pan in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until the salmon is cooked rare. Spoon a mound of lentils on each plate and place a salmon fillet on top. Serve hot.
• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface, as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

HOSTELLERIE DU CERF'S SALMON WITH LENTILS, BACON AND HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• Prepare the lentils: Rinse lentils and sort carefully, discarding any pebbles you may find. In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery and leek and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft, three to four minutes. Add the lentils, bouquet garni, chicken stock or water and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, discard bouquet garni and keep lentils warm.
• Prepare the horseradish cream: In a small saucepan, combine the cream and the horseradish and simmer gently until mixture is well blended. Keep warm.
• Cook the bacon: Place the bacon in a large skillet. Using no additional fat, turn the heat to medium-high and cook, turning and stirring frequently, until crisp. Pour off and discard the fat. Drain the bacon on paper towels and set aside.
• Cook the salmon: Brush a ribbed cast-iron stove-top grill with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill fish just until the flesh turns opaque and is still resilient, not soft or overly tough, about four minutes per side, depending upon the thickness of the fish. (The fish may also be grilled under a broiler or on an outdoor grill.)
• Using a slotted spoon, divide the lentils among four heated dinner plates. Place a piece of salmon on top and spoon the sauce all around the lentils. Sprinkle the salmon with the bacon and shower each plate with herbs. Serve immediately.

SALMON WITH HORSERADISH "CREAM"

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 deg.F. Lightly oil a 9-in. pie plate or other baking dish.
• Combine the yogurt, horseradish and chives in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Season the salmon lightly with salt and pepper. Place salmon in pan and pour sauce over it.
• Bake salmon until just cooked through, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to plate. Garnish with chives.
• Note1: The original calls for low-fat yogurt, but I don't like the additives, and always use whole milk natural yogurt.
• Note2: The original recipe suggests 1 tbl. of the yogurt mix spread on the fish, with the remainder passed as a sauce. I really prefer cooking all of the sauce and serving the pan sauces with the fish.
• Note3: A fillet works as well as a steak, just watch the thickness.
• Note4: Try fresh dill instead of chives - lovely. Also, really drain the horseradish well.

SALMON WITH BACON AND LENTILS

Steps:

• Combine lentils, onion, carrot and orange peel in heavy large saucepan. Add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Discard orange peel. Return lentils to pan. Season lentils with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 say ahead. Cover and chill lentils and reserved cooking liquid separately.)
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Place salmon on baking sheet. Wrap 1 bacon strip around center of each salmon piece, arranging bacon ends on bottom. Bake salmon until opaque in center, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add enough reserved cooking liquid to lentils to moisten. Mix in cream, then parsley, chives and tarragon and bring to simmer. Spoon lentil onto plates. Top each with 3 salmon pieces in spoke fashion and serve.