Salmon Fillets and Shrimp ►
Pretty with pink salmon strips and shrimp, this entrée combines the two with herbed risotto and a simple Champagne-butter sauce. The chef uses oblong plates, which make a nicely balanced presentation; round plates could be used, placing a mound of risotto in the center, a shrimp on either side, and curving the salmon fillet around the top of the risotto.
Ingredients
- Risotto
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Shallots - 2, sliced thin
- Arborio Rice - 1 cup
- Simmering Water - 2 cups
- Curry Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Sage Leaves - 2, cut in thin chiffonade
- Rosemary - 1 sprig, stemmed and chopped
- Thyme - 1 Sprig, stemmed
- Mint Leaves - 3, cut in thin chiffonade
- Vegetables
- Zucchini - 1 large
- Carrot - 1, pared and cut into thin julienne
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Red Bell Pepper - 1 large, seeded, deribbed, and cut into thin julienne
- Yellow Bell Pepper - 1 large, seeded, deribbed, and cut into thin julienne
- Softened Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Salmon and Shrimp
- Salmon Fillets - 2, about 2 pounds
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Saffron - 20 to 30 threads
- Fleur de sel
- Shrimp - 8 jumbo, shells removed, back strips cleaned
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Champagne Sauce
- Champagne - 1 cup
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Lemon Juice - 1 lemon
- Curry Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Thyme - 1 sprig, stemmed
- Gooseberries - 8 cape, husk removed
- Sage Leaves - 12
Instructions
To prepare the risotto: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and saute the shallots until softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and stir to coat. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to turn translucent. Add hot water to cover and cook, stirring slowly but constantly with a wooden spoon, until the rice has absorbed the water. Add more water to cover and repeat. Continue repeating until the rice is creamy and all the water has been absorbed; the process will take 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the curry powder. Set aside.
To prepare the vegetables: Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then in half crosswise. Scoop out the seeds. Using a 1-inch round cutter, cut out 8 rounds and set aside. Cut the remaining zucchini into thin julienne. Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat and saute the zucchini rounds and carrots for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and pepper julienne and saute 2 more minutes, until all the vegetables have just softened. Set aside; keep warm.
To prepare the seafood: Remove the skin from the salmon fillet. Cut each fillet into two long, thin strips. Heat the butter in a large non-stick saute pan or skillet. Add the saffron threads and stir to coat. Add the salmon and saute for 5 minutes, turning once. Set aside on paper towels; dust very lightly with sea salt. Heat the olive oil in the same skillet used to cook the salmon and saute the shrimp until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove; drain on paper towels.
To prepare the sauce: Bring the champagne to a boil in a medium non-stick saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Cook until reduced by one fourth. Swirl in the butter. When the butter has melted, swirl in the lemon juice and curry powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add the thyme.
To serve: Stir the butter and herbs into the risotto. Put the vegetables back over medium heat and add the butter; gently saute until heated. Add the cape gooseberries and turn to coat. Spoon risotto in a strip across the center of each plate. Lay a fillet of salmon over the risotto. Make two circles of shrimp on each plate by putting two pairs of shrimp, open arch side in, together to one side of the salmon. Arrange julienned vegetables on the plates on the other side of the salmon, placing the julienne at right angles to the salmon. Position two zucchini rounds at one end of the salmon. Put a cape gooseberry inside each shrimp circle. Spoon champagne sauce over and around the salmon and shrimp. Garnish the vegetable julienne on each plate with three sage leaves.
