Crisp Skinned Maple Salmon

/
Crisp Skinned Maple Salmon.jpg

This is the time of year when maple trees are being tapped and sap is flowing. Use new maple syrup or finish up last year’s batch for this recipe. Use a nonstick pan or if you are a confident cook, use a heavy pan like a cast iron one for the best crisp skin. If it’s large enough to hold all your fillets you can put it right into the oven and skip the baking sheet part.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 pieces salmon, 6 oz (175 g) each, skin on
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tsp cracked peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil


Sabayon:

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp grated lemon rind
  • ¼ cup lightly whipped cream
  • ¼ cup chopped chives
  • ½ tsp cracked peppercorns

Method

Preheat oven to 450°F. 

Lightly oil a heavy baking sheet and place on the middle rack of your oven to heat. 

Use the back of a heavy chef’s knife to scrape away any liquid from the salmon skin. 

 

Combine 3 tbsp olive oil and maple syrup and brush lightly over flesh and skin of salmon, reserving a little for a final brush. Season with salt and cracked peppercorns. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches if necessary, lay salmon in pan, skin-side up, and sear for 2 minutes or until golden. Turn over and brush with remaining maple-oil mixture. Transfer fish to preheated baking sheet, skin-side down, and roast salmon for 5 minutes or until just cooked through. 

While salmon is roasting, bring water in bottom of double boiler to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, maple syrup and lemon rind in the top of the double boiler and cook, whisking constantly until thickened and pale in colour, about 7 minutes. Fold in whipped cream and chives and season with salt and cracked pepper to taste. 

Serve salmon skin-side down over Fava Bean, Red Potato and Mushroom Compote. Drizzle with sabayon.