BBQ Salmon on White Cheese Grits
For this layered but easy to eat entree, Chef Winslade lays a foundation of white grits enlivened with fresh poblano and anaheim chilies and enriched with Jack cheese. The chef uses quick-cooking grits that take seven minutes to prepare. Next he adds a fillet of salmon that is brushed with his own BBQ sauce, for which we provide the recipe. A shortcut is to use a fine quality prepared barbecue sauce. The crowning glory is a small mound of Sesame Coleslaw. If the backyard barbecue is not in season or available, use a range-top skillet with grill ridges.
Ingredients
- Sesame Coleslaw (recipe follows)
- Half & Half - 2 cups
- Garlic Cloves - 2, minced
- Poblano chile - one, 2-inch piece, seeded, deribbed, finely diced
- Anaheim chile - one, 2-inch piece, seeded, deribbed, finely diced
- Quick-cooking white stone ground grits - 1-1/3 cups
- Jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese - 1 cup, shredded
- Salmon fillets - four, 6-ounce center cut skinless
- BBQ Sauce - 3/4 cup, (recipe follows), or prepared barbecue sauce
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Jalapeno Glaze (recipe follows)
- Prepared basil-flavored olive oil, as needed
- Chopped chives, garnish
- BBQ Sauce (Makes 5 cups)
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Red Onion - 1/2 medium, finely diced
- Garlic Clove - 1, finely diced
- Plum Tomatoes - 6, coarsely diced
- Tomato Ketchup - 1/4 cup
- Dijon mustard - 2 tablespoons
- Dark Brown Sugar - 2 tablespoons
- Honey - 1 tablespoon
- Cayenne - 1 teaspoon
- Ancho Chile Powder - 1 tablespoon
- Pasilla Chile Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Paprika - 1 tablespoon
- Worcestershire sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Sesame Coleslaw
- Green Cabbage - 1/4 head
- Red Bell Pepper - 1 small, seeded, diced
- Green Bell Pepper - 1 small, seeded, diced
- Yellow Bell Pepper - 1 small, seeded, diced
- Rice Wine Vinegar - 1 cup
- Olive Oil - 1/2 cup
- Sesame Oil - 1 teaspoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Sesame seeds, garnish
- Jalapeno Glaze
- Water - 1/3 cup
- Sugar - 1/3 cup
- Fresh lime juice - 1/3 cup
- Jalapeno Peppers - 2, seeded, deribbed, sliced
- Olive oil - as needed
- Shallots - 2, chopped
- Tomatoes - 4, seeded, diced
- Red Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
Instructions
Make Sesame Coleslaw and let marinate for four hours.
In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat half & half. Add garlic, whisking to mix. Heat for one to two minutes. Add garlic, whisking to mix. Heat for one to two minutes. Bring to a boil, and add grits very slowly, whisking constantly. Cook until grits are thickened and smooth, about seven minutes. Set aside. Keep warm.
Brush salmon filets lightly with BBQ sauce, and season on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sear on barbecue over charcoal or else in a skillet with grill ridges (brushed with oil to prevent sticking), turning once. Shift the angle of the fillets on each side to create a cross-hatch grill pattern. Brush fillets with a little barbecue sauce and finish under the broiler until medium rare or to desired degree of doneness.
To serve: On each of four warmed dinner plates, place a 3-inch ring in the center of the plate and fill with grits, smoothing and pressing down to mold. Be careful not to compress grits too firmly or texture will become dense. Place one grilled salmon fillet on top of grits. Mound a little Sesame Coleslaw on top of salmon. Dot plate alternately with Jalapeno Glaze and basil oil. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.
BBQ Sauce
In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter and sweat the onion and garlic until translucent but not brown. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture in a food processor. Pour into a bowl and allow to cook at room temperature. Will keep, refrigerated, covered, for 1 week, or several months frozen.
Sesame Coleslaw
Slice cabbage finely on a mandoline. Place cabbage and diced bell peppers in a non-reactive bowl. Bring olive oil, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar to a boil and pour over the cabbage and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to mix and allow to marinate for two hours. Strain and serve. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Jalapeno Glaze
Combine water, sugar and lime juice in a one-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and boil for 15 minutes. Add jalapenos, lower heat, and cook for 10 minutes more. While sauce is cooking, film a separate pan with olive oil, and saute shallots until translucent but not brown. Add diced tomatoes and red wine vinegar and saute, stirring, until tomatoes are soft and have lost their shape. Combine ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree. Strain sauce through a chinois or very fine mesh sieve. Put glaze into a squeeze bottle.
