Pit-Roasted Salmon with Shiitake Relish, Cornbread Pudding and Fried Basil
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 3 cups cornmeal
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 teaspoons alt
- 2 cups grated pepperjack cheese
- 8 eggs
- 4 cups milk
- 2/3 cup honey
- 8 ounces butter, melted
- 5 cups cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes (recipe follows)
- 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for pan
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 4-1/2 cups whipping cream
- 8 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups grated dry jack cheese
- 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped herbs
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 6 7-ounce salmon fillets
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt, plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup paprika
- 1-1/2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
- butter (for pan-searing)
- oil (for frying basil leaves)
- several whole basil leaves (for frying as garnish)
- lemon wedges (for garnish)
- 12 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, wiped clean
- 2 teaspoons pure olive oil, plus some for brushing mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs (e.g., thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- This recipe makes more than necessary for cornbread pudding. Preheat oven to 425°. In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and grated cheese. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and honey. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well. Stir in melted butter. Pour into a buttered pan (full "hotel" pan, about 12 by 12 inches) and bake about 25 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°. Butter a deep 8-by-12-inch pan and fill with cornbread cubes. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy saute pan. Very slowly saute onion until soft and golden brown (at least 20 minutes). Set aside.
Whisk together cream and eggs. Whisk in caramelized onion, grated cheese and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour mixture over cornbread in pan, and stir to combine. Bake 45 minutes until set and golden. Keep warm.
- Combine sugar, salt, thyme, paprika and pepper. Coat each fillet with 1 or 2 tablespoons of this rub. Smoke salmon in a smoker at 80° for 1 hour. Remove from smoker and refrigerate until ready to prepare for serving.
- Brush mushroom caps with olive oil. On Oster Indoor Grill, cook on both sides until marked and cooked through. Remove from grill and julienne. Set aside. Heat pure olive oil in saute pan. Add shallots and garlic, and sweat a few minutes until soft. Set aside to cool. Combine mushrooms, shallot-garlic mixture and herbs. Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Pour over mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
- In Oster® Deep Fryer, deep-fry basil leaves in hot oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Preheat oven to 450°. In a hot saute pan with a little butter, sear pit-roasted salmon fillets briefly, nice sides down. Then flip and sear underside briefly. Place in oven 4 to 5 minutes, or until just done in center. Spoon warm cornbread pudding onto plates. Top with salmon. Spoon some shiitake relish over fish. Sprinkle plate with fried basil leaves and garnish with lemon wedges.
