Ingredients
Yields: 4 servings- 3/4 cup olive oil, separated
- 4-6 shitake mushrooms, stems removed
- 1 leek, cleaned, white end removed, cut into thin 1″ strips
- 1 salmon fillet, center, 6″ long, pin bones removed
- ¼ cup Szechuan pepper, ground
- ½ cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
- 2 teaspoons fennel
- 2 teaspoons Szechuan pepper, ground
- 3 basil leaves, chopped
- Salt and black pepper
Directions
This is a very interesting, attractive and delicious salmon recipe that you will probably want to make for company. It is a bit complex to prepare, but the results are definitely worth the time.1. In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add mushrooms with 2 tablespoons water. Cover pan and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove mushrooms and set aside to cool.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and place over medium heat. When hot, add leeks with 2 tablespoons water. Cover pan and allow leeks to cook for 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool
Place cooled mushrooms in leeks in refrigerator until chilled.
When chilled, slice the mushrooms thinly.
Butterfly the salmon by laying it on a cutting board. Using a carving knife, slice horizontally through the middle, starting at the thinnest part of the salmon. Stop cutting approximately ½” before the end (do not cut all the way through). Fold the top half over, creating one long rectangular piece of salmon approximately 12″ long.
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap on the cutting board and place the salmon on it. Season with salt and pepper.
Layer the mushrooms and leeks onto the fillet evenly. Using the plastic as a guide, roll the salmon up tightly around the vegetables. Wrap in plastic, twist the ends, and tie the ends with twine. Refrigerate 25-30 minutes.
Lay out a new sheet of plastic. Remove the Salmon roll from its plastic cover, and place it on the new sheet. Sprinkle the ¼ cup Szechuan pepper all over the salmon and plastic, and roll the salmon up in the new plastic, coating it in the pepper. Twist the ends again and tie with twine.
Place the salmon roll into a large stockpot of boiling water for about 16 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and let rest at room temperature for 6 to 7 minutes.
In a small saucepan, mix together the tomatoes, fennel, 2 teaspoons Szechuan pepper, basil, ½ cup olive oil. Season with salt.
Let sauce sit over very low heat until warm.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Remove the salmon from the plastic and place it into the hot oil. Roll it around until all sides are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Cut off the ends of the salmon roll, and cut the remaining into 3 serving pieces. Place on plate and spoon tomato sauce over.