Salmon Beurre Rouge

Our friend Jon Jividen, Chef extraordinaire at 12th St. Cantina and Catering came through with a great way to uphold two of Philly Food Lovers' New Year's Resolutions, numbers 2 and 3 to be precise:    Eat More Fish and Experiment.  He shares his Salmon Beurre Rouge recipe, which is pretty spectacular.


Says Jon:    "Back in the day, when 'Real men didn't eat quiche' and to serve red wine with fish would have been blasphemy, I set out to shatter the red wine/fish rule; (being the culinary rebel that I am).
All who tried the dish became converts and it was featured on the menu of a restaurant that I was working at in San Diego at the time. It is quite simple, wickedly delicious, and what it does for salmon is beyond anything I have tried since."

Now we readily admit that this is not a low cal/low fat dish, but it really is worth the calories.

SALMON BAKED IN CREAM WITH BEURRE ROUGE

For the Salmon:
6 to 8 pieces of skinless boneless salmon fillet – (6 – 7 oz. each)
Kosher salt and coursely ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream

For the Beurre Rouge:
1 bottle red wine (your choice) Merlot, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Bordeaux
1 Pound Sweet Butter (4 sticks) – softened to room temp
1 Shallot, finely minced
Salt & Pepper to taste

METHOD:
Season salmon pieces on both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
Place salmon pieces in bowl and add cream. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the beurre rouge. Pour bottle of red wine into large shallow sauté pan and add minced shallots.
Place wine on medium heat and simmer. While wine is reducing, transfer fish to a rimmed cookie sheet. Place pieces closely together, pour any reserved cream over salmon and place in preheated 425 – 450 degree oven, uncovered.  Bake 7 – 10 minutes.

When wine has reduced to almost a thin syrupy consistency;  remove from heat
and add a bit of kosher salt and black pepper. Whisk in the softened butter in stages... about ¼ lb at a time. Finished sauce should have a velvety texture and should coat the back of a spoon. When salmon is done, transfer  serving platter, pour beurre rouge over and serve immediately.

NOTE:  Pomegranate seeds or capers make an excellent garnish and a few sprigs of fresh chervil or chopped chives will add more ‘eye candy’ to the dish.

No good meal is complete without a good wine, so we asked our friends at Philly Wine Finder to advise on a pairing for this rebellious repast.  At first glance, they recommended an Oregon pinot noir, which is a standard red choice for fish.   But the Philly Wine Finders are nothing if not thorough and thoughtful; after perusing the recipe and considering Chef Jon's taboo-smashing intent, they switched gears.  Their recommendation:

Kenwood Zinfandel, available at 12th and Chestnut and the Society Hill stores.

Bon Appetit and Cheers!

Philly Food Lovers' New Year's Resolutions

Depending on whom you ask,  80-92% of New Year's Resolutions fail by Valentine's Day.  The why is complicated and far beyond the scope of our expertise.  Rather than dwell on these dismal figures, we decided to create a list of achievable  resolutions.   Naturally, they focus on food......Here they are; our 2011 New Year's Resolutions.  We welcome further suggestions from you!

 1.  Eat less chocolate - but improve the quality of the chocolate you eat. (See, we said it would be attainable.  We're not going cold turkey for heaven's sake; a foodie's gotta live!)   Studies show that the higher the percent of cocoa in the chocolate you eat, the more satisfying it is.  So stop by the Pennsylvania General Store to buy fine quality choccies--we love the dark chocolate Wilber Buds, pictured here.  These make a great Valentine gift..along with tickets to Valentine to the Market, of course.

2.  Eat More Fish--We've discussed the health benefits of fish before.  With the plethora of options available at the Market, eating fish once a week is infinitely doable.  So let's do it! 

3.  Experiment--try a new ingredient, a new preparation, a new recipe.  Personally, I can't wait to try Chef Jon Jividen of 12th St. Cantina's Salmon with Beurre Rouge--he shatters the taboo on red wine with fish.  Look for recipe here soon!

 4.  Eat Locally--Ok, we admit that January is not an ideal month for those residing in the northern hemisphere to embark on a campaign to consume locally grown fresh produce.  You won't find the variety that Archimboldo used to create the vegetable-man pictured here.  But the Fair Food Farmstand is a great source for locally grown and produced items--some vegetables and fruits are still available, and of course, meats, eggs, milk and cheeses, all from local farms, are plentiful.

5.  Eat more fresh produce, in season if possible--squash, potatoes, mushrooms, cranberries, and apples are still available from local growers.  A wider array from farther afield is, of course, on offer by the Market's merchants. 

6.  Try new types of cuisine.    The Market is an international smorgasbord; restaurants feature cuisines from Japan to New Orleans and everything in between,  so be adventurous!   With the $7.00 meal deal, there's no excuse to stick with the same old, same old.  We know that Gov. Ed Rendell, Honorary Chair of the Valentine to the Market, has availed himself of the generous lunch offerings.   Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, you can't disagree with Ed on that!

7.  Go vegetarian once a week.  Ok, we love our short ribs and  fried chicken, too, but abstaining from meat once a week is good for you and good for the environment.  Not conversant in the ways of vegetarian cookery?  Go for takeout at the Basic 4 Vegetarian Snack Bar.

8.  Exercise more.  Walk to the Market--yes, even in the cold weather.  Make that especially in the cold weather--the body burns calories keeping warm, so you may get more out of that walk than just red cheeks!     Better yet, dance the night away at Valentine to Market--dancing burns approx 330 cal/hr so kick up your heels!   Whether it will land you on Dancing With the Stars is anyone's guess; given the recent entrants, well.....maybe we'll let the video do the talking.

9.   Remember to bring your own shopping bags--do we really need to quote figures on landfill contents and the fact that those plastic bags last for 500 years?  Spend $50 at market and get an insulated one free.




10.   Help those less fortunate.  Reading Terminal Market is the largest redeemer of SNAP vouchers (food stamps) in PA.  SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) helps low-income families purchase healthy foods.  By supporting the Market, we are helping ensure that everyone in our community has access to fresh, nutritious food.

Good Morning, Pumpkin (and Fritters, just for us)

 

What do you call your loved one?  Have you noticed the enormous number of  food terms used to express affection?  What do you think, Pumpkin?  Actually don't call us that...Sweetie-pie...?  Think again.  Visit us on Facebook for this week's contest and post the worst pet name you've ever heard.  And this time, we're doing something a little different for the winner.  Rather than dish out a prize, we'll make a donation to Heifer International, a worldwide organization that helps families in developing countries raise their own food by providing livestock and seedlings.   -- and YOU get to choose what the money is spent on (see side bar poll to place your vote).  Get moving, chicks!

Circling back to the pumpkin theme, the real subject of this week's blog:

Chef Jon Jividen of 12th Street Cantina is at it again. Lest we think his culinary scope is limited to chilis, Jon invented a new pumpkin dish just for Philly Food Lovers! These versatile fritters are divine for brunch served with bacon or ham. Top them with sour cream, salsa verde, or even maple syrup. They also make a unique and delicious accompaniment with dinner; serve with braised short ribs, chicken or pork. Gracias, Jon.

SAVORY PUMPKIN, CORN AND POBLANO FRITTERS

4 cups grated fresh pumpkin
Use small pumpkin. Peel and seed pumpkin. Cut into large pieces and grate enough to make 4 cups.
If using hand grater, use largest grating grid, or use food processor with grater attachment.
Extra pumpkin flesh may be used for other purposes, or grate all and freeze surplus for future fritters.
Place the 4 cups grated pumpkin in bowl.

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 fresh poblano pepper, stem and seeds removed and small diced
1 small Spanish onion, diced small
2 Tbs. butter
Lightly sauté the corn, poblano pepper and onion in the butter, just until onion become transparent.
Remove from heat and let cool.


1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Combine the above dry ingredients and add to grated pumpkin.
Toss until pumpkin shreds are coated with dry ingredients. 

In separate bowl, whisk together:
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
Add to the pumpkin/dry ingredient mixture along with the sautéed poblano-onion-corn mixture. .
Mix until all ingredients are blended.

For frying:
Add enough vegetable oil to large sauté pan to cover bottom (about 1/8 in. deep)
When oil becomes hot enough, drop batter by spoonfuls into sauté pan and cook over medium high heat.
Flip fritters over when first side has browned sufficiently. (If you have ever made pancakes, apply the same principal here)
Batter should spread somewhat when placed in pan. If not, press lightly with spatula to flatten.
Transfer fritters to platter and keep warm until service. Serve with dollop of sour cream if desired.

Makes about 12 to 14  3 inch fritters.