Thursday, June 16, 2005

Return of Recipe Corner: SEARED CARAMELIZED FENNEL SALMON McNUGGETS

That’s right, you thought you didn’t want to be me after you heard what kind of a week I was having.  But really, the ancillary benefits of being me more than make up for the transient inconvenience of working my ass off for 9 hours at the office and another hour or so at home.  And by ancillary benefits, I mean:

Seared Caramelized Fennel Salmon

Mix some* sesame oil and somewhat less olive oil in a bowl, and add large-crystal salt (sea salt, kosher, whatever, but not that wimpy granulated crap they serve in little paquets at McD’s) and sugar in equal amounts.  Shake in about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds and red chili flakes.  Set aside and admire how very clever you are for thinking of this recipe.

*I didn’t measure any of this crap.  I’m a free spirit, man.  I know ‘cuz I read the last post.

Then get yer salmon fillets (did I mention you’d need salmon fillets? No? Well too bad. Go fetch’em.  Me and your underware drawer will be here when you get back) and remove the skin.  This is not so difficult if you use a sharp knife and a little bit of patience - start at what would be the front of the fillet if it were still on the fish, slice with the grain of the flesh, and the skin peels off pretty easily.  Once you have nekked fillets, cut’em into pieces a bit too big to stuff in your mouth without cutting them again, and drop’em in the spiced oils; manipulate the fishy oily mess all together till the fish is well-covered.

Get a dry (not oiled) heavy skillet smoking hot on the stovetop. This is a good place to use cast-iron; it imparts the richest color and the most heat in the least amount of time.  But whatever, you do what you want, you’re a free spirit.  Lay out the oily fillets ex-skin-side down in the skillet for about 2 minutes, without moving them around, and then turn them over to fry for another minute or so.  They’re done when you start to see the white fat seeping from the sides of the meat.  Remove from heat, enplate, and consume - in my case, with a nice stew of beans, tomato and yellow chives, simmered for the 20 minutes or so I took to invent and cook the fish recipe. 

Suggested pairing: Mirror Pond Pale Ale and the Daily Show.  In a pinch, you can substitute Futurama. 

That’s about all I’ve got for now.  Time to get to the dry cleaner’s, and then to the phlebotomist, and then downtown for a little cheap-n-greasy breakfast and a thick chaw of honest labor.  I left my book of scribbled essays at work yesterday but I’ll be able to pop off with another of my typical screeds for you tomorrow.  Looks like a grey cloudy day.  I think I’ll have a good one, notwithstanding.