Poached Salmon Mousse

An elegant appetizer that lends itself to a number of gorgeous presentations and can be prepared a day or two in advance.

Ingredients:

•    1 envelope unflavored gelatin
•    ¼ cup cold water
•    ½ cup broth from poached salmon
•    1/2 cup mayonnaise
•    1 tablespoon fresh Meyer* lemon juice
•    1 red cherry chile pepper, diced
•    1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
•    ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
•    1 teaspoon salt*
•    2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
•    1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
•    1 pound finely flaked poached fresh salmon*
•    1 cup heavy cream

Yield:  12 appetizer servings

Directions:

1. To poach salmon: heat 1/2 cup of good quality white wine (I used a Dr. Loosen Riesling), 1/2 cup of water, sprinkle of dill and a few thin slices of yellow onion in a saute pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, place salmon fillets, skin-side down on the pan. Cover. Cook 5-7 minutes or to desired doneness. Be careful not to overcook – gently press with a fork, if the salmon flesh is opaque and begins to flake, it’s done. Remove salmon from the poaching liquid – reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid for the mousse. Remove the skin and, using a fork, flake the salmon into tiny pieces.

2. Add gelatin to the cold water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the boiling broth from poached salmon and whisk the mixture slowly until the gelatin dissolves. Cool to room temperature.

3. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish, paprika, salt, dill and chives. Stir to blend completely and refrigerate until the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 15 minutes.

4. Fold in the finely flaked salmon. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it is thickened to soft peaks and fluffy. Fold gently into the salmon mixture. Transfer the mixture to a 6 to 8 prepared ramekins, or decorative mold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

*Notes: I used NoSalt sodium-free salt alternative for a low-sodium diet. I prefer sweet Meyer lemons, but regular lemons are fine, too, and for the salmon, a wild sockeye fillet, skin-on, if it’s available.

Shown served with toast rounds,  thinly sliced Campari tomatoes and English cucumber garnished with thinly sliced Meyer lemon and pomegranate arils (optional).

Other options for presentation: serve small Campari or Pearl tomatoes filled with Salmon Mousse or endive leaves with a dollop of Salmon mousse garnished with dill, chives, and/or pomegranate arils.

Enjoy

Baked Salmon Eggrolls

¾ pound Sockeye Salmon

1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce

1 onion, sliced

1- 12 oz. pkg. Broccoli Slaw

1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon Thai basil

1 tablespoon white wine or sherry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Heat grill to med-high heat. Rinse salmon filet, pat dry with a paper towel. Spread with teriyaki sauce. Grill for about 5 minutes, skin side down. One way to tell the fish is done enough is when a white substance (fat) begins to appear on the flesh, another way is if the fish flakes under  gentle pressure from the spatula. Do not overcook, the fish should still be moist. It’s better to undercook – it will be baked inside the eggroll, too. Remove from grill with a fish spatula. Set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet with the peanut oil, sesame oil, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes over med-high heat. Add the onions, saute for a minute, then add the broccoli slaw. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.

3. Using a fork, gently press down on the salmon to flake off pieces. It should separate from the crisp skin very easily. Place the pieces of fish on top of the vegetables. You can also use pieces of crisp skin if you desire – if you like salmon skin roll sushi - this is how it gets it’s name and it’s terrific charred flavor!

4. Take one eggroll skin at a time and place a scoop of the mixture in the middle, spread out so the filling is about 2″ long by 1″ wide. Most eggroll skin packages contain a diagram of how to fold to get a perfect eggroll. You first fold one triangular end over the stuffing, then fold in the two sides, use your fingers to compact the stuffing, roll up, lightly brush the end with water to seal.

5. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the eggrolls seam side down on the parchment, spray with canola oil and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the eggrolls and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Salmon with Bow Tie Pasta and Peas

1 lb. wild salmon fillet

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon sweet onion, finely chopped

8 oz. Barilla multi-grain bow tie pasta

8 oz. frozen young peas

½ c. prepared pesto sauce

⅔ c. lowfat milk

2 ounces cream cheese, or Neufchatel*

Serves 4. *Neufchatel is slightly lower calorie than cream cheese and is sold in the same section of the market.

Prepare pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside. You can use the pasta pot that has been lightly sprayed with oil to keep the pasta warm.

Preheat broiler on high. Rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with a paper towel. Dot with butter, sprinkle with dill and chopped onion. Place on baking pan lined with aluminum foil and lightly sprayed with oil. Broil for 5-7 minutes, depending on thickness, until salmon is lightly browned and crisped on top and flakes with a fork. Do not overcook – it’s better to be underdone – the fish continues to cook after its removed from the oven, plus it will be cooked again when mixed with the pasta. Allow the fish to cool and use a fork to flake off bite size pieces.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over med-high heat, mix the pesto and milk, bring to a gentle boil, whisk in the cream cheese or neufchatel to thicken. Feel free to increase these quantities if you prefer lots of sauce.  Microwave the frozen peas for 2½ minutes, drain. Combine all the ingredients with the pasta in the large pot. Mix well to coat with sauce. I topped with carmelized onions (half an onion, sliced onions and sautéed in a little butter until browned) but this is optional.

Enjoy