Hot Smoked Salmon Steaks With Morel Sauce Food

MOREL SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; saute until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
• In the same skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add morels, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until morels are soft and their released juices have reduced so they just cover bottom of pan, about 20 minutes.
• Return onion mixture to skillet. Add wine, and cook until it has reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add chicken stock and cream; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is bubbling and starts to thicken, 18 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in dill just before serving.

HOT SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• The night before serving, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons salt, the peppercorns, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a large flat ceramic or glass dish. Spread the mixture evenly on top of the salmon. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• At least 1 1/2 hours before you plan to cook the salmon, soak the wood chips in water.
• Thirty minutes before you¿re ready to cook, heat the charcoal. Place a double layer of coals on one side of the grill, light them, and allow them to burn until the coals are gray on the outside. (I use a charcoal chimney to light the coals.) Sprinkle half the soaked wood chips on the hot coals (you will see lots of smoke). On the other side of the grill, place the foil pan and pour in 1 cup water. Place the cooking grate over the coals and the pan.
• Scrape most of the sugar mixture off the salmon and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the salmon skin-side down on the side of the grill directly over the foil pan. Put the lid on the grill, making sure the top and bottom vents are open. Smoke the salmon for 10 minutes. Add the remaining wood chips directly on the coals and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon, until it's firm to the touch and barely cooked. Don't overcook the salmon or it will be dry!
• Transfer the salmon to a clean platter and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin, if desired, and serve hot, at room temperature, or cold with the Fresh Dill Sauce.
• Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, cream cheese, scallions, dill, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for a few seconds, until well mixed. Add the cucumber and puree for another few seconds, until combined. Pour into a container and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

GRILLED SALMON WITH MOREL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Brush salmon on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until golden brown and cooked to medium doneness, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and immediately drizzle with the morel vinaigrette.
• Place morels in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until soft, about 30 minutes, then drain, reserving liquid, and coarsely chop.
• Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Use a little of the morel soaking liquid to thin, if needed. Fold in the mushrooms and parsley.

HOT-SMOKED SALMON SALAD WITH A CHILLI LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 mins until tender, adding the asparagus tips for the final 2 mins of cooking. Drain and allow to cool. Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients. then season to taste.
• In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, asparagus, salad leaves, herbs and radishes. Add two-thirds of the dressing, thoroughly mix through the salad, then spread the salad over a large platter. Break the hot-smoked salmon into large chunks, then scatter over the top along with the spring onions. Finish by pouring remaining dressing over the top.

HOT-SMOKED SALMON STEAKS WITH MOREL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place wood chips in a large container. Fill with water, and add the sugar; let stand until the chips are soaked through, at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place salmon steaks on a baking sheet, and generously season both sides with salt. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator 1 hour.
• Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill. When coals are hot, drain wood chips, and evenly distribute them over the coals. This should extinguish the flames and produce a fragrant smoke.
• Place salmon steaks on grill, being careful not to overcrowd. Cover grill, keeping vents slightly open during smoking process. Smoke salmon steaks until they are heated through but still bright pink in the center, 20 to 30 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the heat of the smoke and the desired doneness of the salmon. Be careful when removing cover from grill because of the smoke build-up.
• Transfer salmon to a large serving platter, and serve hot with morel sauce.