In the Kitchen: Iron Seared Salmon

Chef Jon LoPresti, Director of Culinary Development of The Reef in Newport, joined us in the kitchen this morning making Iron Seared Salmon with Herbed Quinoa, Blistered Tomato & Tzatziki Sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 X 8oz. Salmon Filet {skin on or skin off}
• 1/2 Cup Cherry Tomato
• 1 Cup Cooked Red Quinoa
• 1 Tbsp Fine Chopped Mint
• 1 Tbsp Fine Chopped Chive
• 1 Tbsp Fine Chopped Italian Parsley
• ½ Hot House Cuccumber – peeled, seeded, rough grated and drained of excess moisture
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 3/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Canola Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Aged Red Wine Vinegar
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

Directions for the Quinoa:

1. Using a strainer rinse quinoa well under cold running water.
2. Add to pot with enough water to cover, lightly salt the water, bring to simmer and cook quinoa until it’s just done and has a tender bite to it.
3. Rinse with cold water briefly to stop the cooking, toss it in a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil so it doesn’t clump up.
4. Let it sit to cool on the side, or refrigerate, so you have it ready when you’re completing the dish.
5. Once chilled down you can add the herbs, red wine vinegar and verify seasonings so it’s ready to heat up!

Directions for the Tzatziki Sauce:

1. Rough grate the cucumber into a mixing bowl of appropriate size and then squeeze it some and let drain through a strainer for 10 minutes or so.
2. Mix with the greek yogurt and minced garlic.
3. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. I
4. f you drained the cucumber correctly you’ll have a nice thickish sauce.

General Directions:

1. Preheat saute pan to medium high temperature. 
2. Season Salmon filet, add a small amount of canola to pan and sear skin side first {if keeping skin on} to a nice golden brown.
3. Turn & sear the other side for 10 seconds, set Salmon filet aside.  It’ll be rare and you can finish it to a desired temperature in a 375f oven when ready to serve .
4. ln separate sauce pan, heated to a medium/high heat, sear cherry tomatoes in a touch of canola oil to blister them slightly.
5. Turn down heat some, add Quinoa, saute, and verify seasonings, hold hot. 
6. Finish Salmon to your desired temperature in the oven.
7. Place a healthy spoon swoosh of room temp/cool Tzatziki Sauce on the plate and arrange the hot Quinoa mix against so it still shows, not covering the sauce.
8. Plate the Salmon, as you like and enjoy!

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