Bourbon Glazed Salmon Recipe



I like bourbon, but not whisky. I know, I know, bourbon IS whisky, but to me there's a big difference. American bourbon is smooth and sweet and has complex flavors that I enjoy in food--warm spices, fresh herbs, toasted nuts, all kinds of fruit, vanilla, coffee, toffee, chocolate, caramel and more. Whisky, is fire water. Though a fan of all whisky, Chef Michael Symon summed it up this way, "drinking whisky should be a massage, not a wax!"

Symon was in San Francisco to talk about bourbon and Knob Creek in particular, an award winning bourbon made in small batches. It's aged in very deeply charred oak barrels, and is bottled at 100 proof. It has a distinctive sweetness and big flavor. Symon told me he like the boldness of it, saying it goes great with the kinds of things he likes to cook.  "It's smoky, you can taste the age, like you can with a good salami. It has great depth of flavor, like wine and I appreciate what goes into making it--the 9 year aging process." Bourbon matches Symon's approach to cooking, "Things I like to cook take time and patience like charcuterie. Knob Creek is the charcuterie of the spirit world"

We talked a bit about using Knob Creek in cooking, he uses it in spicy glazes, with fruit like cherries, peaches or apples, and says it works equally well with pork or seafood. According to Symon, "It has complexity. I wouldn't use it with halibut but with salmon it holds up well--paired with mustard or maple, hard caramelized onions, anything sweet and smoky." 

Inspired by Michael Symon, I created this very simple but luscious recipe for salmon glazed with bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar and soy sauce.


Bourbon Glazed Salmon 
4 servings

Ingredients

4 4-5 ounces pieces of wild salmon
2 Tablespoons bourbon, preferably Knob Creek
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1-2 drops liquid smoke, optional

Instructions

Combine the bourbon, maple syrup, soy sauce and liquid smoke in a large zip top bag. Add the salmon to the bag and squeeze out as much air as you can, then seal it. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Remove salmon from the marinade, pat it dry with paper towels and sear the salmon, skin side down in a very hot pan, such as cast iron for a couple minutes or until the skin is beginning to get crisp and no longer sticking to the bottom of the pan. Transfer salmon to the oven and cook until internal temperature reaches 120 degrees, the temperature will be higher by the time it reaches the table. The time will vary depending upon the thickness of the salmon filet or steak, but a rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch thickness. 

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Knob Creek provided me with access to Michael Symon and a sample of their fine product. 


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Salmon Tacos with Mango Corn Salsa




To be honest, I haven't been feeling very inspired in the kitchen lately. I've been busy with lots of things including travel, and when I'm home I've been trying to eat the food in the freezer since it is on the verge of overflowing. But yesterday I was at the store and I found local king salmon on sale and some beautiful white corn. I thought about the mango I had and just like that, a plan came together.

Sometimes ingredients speak to you and the lightbulb goes off. I diced the mango to serve with dessert a few nights before but it was firm and a little too sour. That's not good for dessert but it's excellent for salsa. The salsa can be used with chips, with roast chicken or scallops. It's actually pretty good without the tomatoes too. I was a little undecided as to which way I preferred it, so try it both ways and you tell me which you like better!

This recipe has a lot of parts, but you can make the salsa and the sauce for drizzling ahead of time. You can even use already cooked salmon if that's what you have on hand. Even though it's cooked on the stove and not on the grill, it really tastes like summer--the fresh corn, tomatoes and salmon look like summer too. Here's to a little summery inspiration!



Salmon Tacos with Mango Corn Salsa
Serves 4

Ingredients

2 teaspoons mild flavored oil ( I use rice bran oil)
1 ear of corn, white or yellow
1/2 cup diced firm mango
1/2 cup diced tomatoes, drained
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 - 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste

3-4 Tablespoons mayonnaise (I used wasabi mayo)
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tablespoon plain non-fat Greek yogurt

12 ounces wild salmon
Chili powder

8 Tortillas
1 1/2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
Sprigs of cilantro, to taste, optional

Instructions

Make the salsa first. Slice the corn off the cob, you should have about 1/2 cup of corn kernels. Heat a skillet and add a couple teaspoons of oil. Add the corn and stir, cooking a couple of minutes until fragrant and sweet. Remove the pan from the stove and allow the corn to come to room temperature. In a bowl combine the mango, tomato, scallions and sliced serrano pepper. Add the cooled corn and lime juice and taste for seasoning.

Make the drizzle by whisking together the mayonnaise, lime juice and yogurt. Taste and adjust to your liking.

To cook the salmon, remove any bones and cut some slits in the skin. Heat a non-stick skillet and when it's hot, add the salmon, skin side down. Sprinkle the salmon with chili powder and cover with a lid. Cook until barely medium, about 120 degrees internal temperature. Break the salmon into chunks or large flakes. Do not overcook.

To prepare the tacos, heat a dry skillet and warm the tortillas over medium heat. When pliable and hot, top each tortilla with salmon, shredded cabbage, salsa and drizzle with the mayo sauce. Add cilantro if desired and serve.

Enjoy!


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Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad Recipe





This recipe for Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad is brought to you by the fresh corn, leftover cotija cheese and a can of beans. And that lazy feeling that strikes during the Summer for something delicious yet easy. Like most everyone, I love fresh corn. Eight ears for 2 dollars? Sold! When corn is sweet it's a cinch to prepare. In addition to adding it to a salad, my other favorite ways to prepare it are making corn chowder (I make a different version just about very time) and on the cob, slathered with mayo and dredged in crumbled cheese served with a wedge of lime.

While corn should be cooked soon after picking or purchasing, cotija cheese is the exact opposite. I bought cotija for some recipe or another and found the leftover cheese lasted and lasted. Like other Mexican cheeses, it's inexpensive, and easy to use. Cotija is a crumbly cheese, less salty than feta, but a little goes a long way. The beans in this recipe make the salad feel hearty and substantial. I suppose you could make it with canned or frozen corn all year round, but it really feels like a Summer dish to me. 

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad makes the perfect side dish to go with barbecue chicken, steak, pork chops, you name it. It's a very flexible recipe, you can leave out the cilantro if you like, add more green onions or use red onions instead. Add more tomato or less. Add as much or as little hot sauce as you like. If you don't like spicy food, start with a teaspoon, taste, then add more. I hope you will make this recipe your own! 

Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 ears of corn
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tomato diced, include the juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, chopped
1 Tablespoon Habanero Pepper Tabasco Sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup crumbled Mexican cotija cheese (or feta)
Salt

Instructions

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Strip the corn from the cobs, into the skillet and
cook, stirring, until beginning to brown in spots, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in black beans, tomato and juice, cilantro, green onions, Habanero sauce and lime juice. Fold in the cotija cheese. Taste for seasonings and add salt if needed. 

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I created this recipe on behalf of Tabasco and I was compensated for it. The choice to post it here, was my own.



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Chilled Corn Soup Recipe



Chilled Corn Soup
It's not Summer until you've eaten a peach over the sink, nibbled on cherries, and enjoyed a stack of fresh blueberry pancakes. One of the most highly anticipated Summer treats aside from all the luscious fruit, is fresh corn. When I see Brentwood corn, I buy it. It's sweet, tender and pairs wonderfully with all types of shellfish, blueberries, lime and avocado.

Corn is high in starch and carbohydrates but it's also a good source of Vitamins B1, B5, and C, folate, dietary fiber, phosphorus, manganese and protein. I use white and yellow corn interchangeably. White seems a bit sweeter and yellow a has a rounder flavor, if that makes sense. Corn should be cooked as soon as possible, after it has been picked. It's particularly good in fritters, pancakes, succotash and salads. If you eat it on the cob, try squeezing lemon or lime juice over it and dipping it in something spicy like smoked paprika or chile powder. Another way to enjoy it is with crumbled Mexican Cotija cheese. Slather the hot cobs with mayonnaise and dip it in the cheese. Messy, but good.

At a recent visit to the delightful SolBar restaurant at Solage in Calistoga, I got a kick out of the menu which was divided down the middle into healthy dishes and indulgent ones. The soup of the day was a chilled corn soup and it had no cream in it. I was intrigued. After a little experimenting I found you can get the maximum flavor by limiting the ingredients to a minimum. This recipe is vegan and the exact amounts of salt and lime will vary depending upon how sweet the corn is; the sweeter the corn, the better the soup!

Note: I use a conventional blender, but I have a feeling that if you use a Vita-Mix you will get even better results! If you have one, try it and let me know.

Chilled Corn Soup with Avocado
Serves 4

Ingredients

6 ears of fresh shucked corn, yellow or white
2 limes
salt
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

Instructions

Remove the corn kernels from the cob, using a chef's knife. Place the corn in a saucepan with enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer until the corn is tender, just a couple of minutes, no longer. Strain the corn out of the water, reserving the water, and place in a blender. Puree the corn with enough water to give it a smooth texture. Strain the corn puree through a strainer and and add some of the reserved water to achieve the desired consistency. Squeeze the limes into the soup and salt to taste. Chill the soup then serve with a garnish of avocado.

Enjoy!


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