Recipe - Tea Salmon In The Garden With Lemon

ts AND FISH:
1/3 cup Lapsang Souchong tea
1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoon Butter
10 Shallots, peeled and thinly
cut or sliced up
2 tablespoon Sugar
1 pn Salt
1 Big pinch pepper
8 Wooden skewers, presoaked in
warm water for at least 2
hours
24 ounce Skinless, boneless salmon,
cut into long ribbon shapes

LEMON
One half cup Freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
2 Shallots, peeled and cut or sliced up
1 Bay leaf, broken
1 teaspoon Freshly cracked black pepper
3 tablespoon Heavy cream
One half pound Butter, cut into small
pieces and kept very cold

VINAIGRETTE FOR THE GARDEN
1 cup Red wine vinegar
One half cup Soy
One half cup Dark roasted sesame oil
One half cup Chopped cilantro leaves
One half cup Hot chile oil
3 tablespoon Peeled, chopped ginger
3 tablespoon Minced garlic
1 One half tablespoon Sugar

Soak the dried tea in the balsamic for a minimum of 30 minutes before
proceeding with the next step. Heat a medium sized shallow saucepan. Add
the butter and allow to foam briefly. Now scatter the shallots across the
bottom of the pan and stir occasionally to coat them. When the shallots are
caramelized, add the sugar and stir again. Now add the tea and balsamic and
stir. Allow the vinegar to reduce almost completely. Season with salt and
pepper. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool.

Lay the ribbon cuts out on a cutting board. Take the prepared salmon and
keep the best looking side down. Sprinkle or rub the tea mixture sparingly
down the length of each ribbon. Roll the ribbons up into a tight circle and
secure them with a skewer from the 12 o'clock to 6 o' clock position and
the 3 to 9 o'clock position. Refrigerate until ready to grill them.

Note: The tea mixture without the fish can be made up to a week in advance
and stored in the refrigerator.

Put the lemon juice, vinegar, shallots, bay leaf and cracked black pepper
in a small, heavy, nonreactive saucepan and bring it to a simmer over a
medium heat. Allow the liquid to reduce until only about 3 ounces remain.
Now add the cream. Once it boils, whisk in the butter, a bit at a time
until it is incorporated. Strain the sauce through a fine meshed strainer
and keep in a warm place.

Mix all of the above ingredients together and set aside.

For the garden: An assortment of 8 cup mixed vegetables with an Asian
aesthetic. I like to use a mix of cucumbers, purple cabbage, red and yellow
bell peppers, blanched snow peas, blanched asparagus spears, bean sprouts
and shiitake mushrooms.

Peanut oil or canola oil for sautJing the vegetables:

For the dish: When you are almost ready to eat, fire up a hot grill. Grill
the spirals until just done, about 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile heat a large
wok or skillet until very hot. Add the oil for stir frying the vegetables.
Add the vegetables and cook briefly together. Add enough of the vinaigrette
to lightly dress them. (Reserve any extra in the refrigerator for another
time.) Season to taste. Place the cooked fish in the center of four plates.
Remove the skewers. Spoon some of the prepared lemon butter around the
fish. Mound the vegetables over the fish. Serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe by: CHEF DU JOUR NORMAN VAN AKEN SHOW #DJ9364

Posted to TNT Prodigy's Recipe Exchange Newsletter by "Ed Bauman"
BIRCHCREEK@msn.com on Mar 7, 97.