The Clubhouse cooks it up at the Taste

If succulent salmon cured in honey and crusted in peppercorns sounds

like a tempting dish, you may want to check out the Gas Company Chef’s

Pavilion at the Taste of Newport today. The Clubhouse in Costa Mesa will

be giving a live demonstration of Executive Chef Leonard Delgado’s honey

peppercorn salmon. The dish will also be featured at the restaurant’s

booth.

Delgado was kind enough to share the recipe for his creation with the

Daily Pilot. Bon appetit.

Honey Peppercorn Salmon

To make honey peppercorn salmon, first you must make corning brine to

cure it in and the peppercorn crust.

Corning brine ingredients:

1 1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ginger puree

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon allspice

Combine all ingredients in a clean stockpot. Bring to a simmer over

medium high heat and stir until all sugar has dissolved. Transfer the

mixture into a clean container and set it aside to cool.

Peppercorn crust ingredients:

3 ounces five peppercorn blend

8 fluid ounces of corning brine

Place the peppercorns into a food processor or coffee mill and process

them until powdered with some small chunks of pepper visible.

In a clean sauce pot, combine the peppercorns and the corning brine

and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until all the liquid

has evaporated and the mixture has reduced to a paste.

Remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool.

Ingredients to make and plate the dish

4 teaspoons honey

4 salmon steaks, 6-7 ounces each

Peppercorn crust

Corning brine

8 ounces asparagus

Lemon wedges

2 fluid ounces beurre blanc (see recipe)

1 tablespoon of pickled red onion

Chopped fresh dill

Place the salmon steaks into a deep baking dish. Pour the corning

brine over the top of the salmon, being careful to completely cover the

filets. Marinate it for eight to 10 hours or overnight.

Remove steaks from marinade and transfer them onto a clean cookie

sheet. Refrigerate the salmon steaks, uncovered, overnight to dry out the

exterior surfaces.

Liberally brush the salmon steaks, tops only, with two teaspoons of

honey each. Repeat the process with two teaspoons of the peppercorn crust

on each steak.

Place the salmon steak onto a clean baking platter or high-sided

cookie sheet. Bake in a 350-degree convection oven for five to six

minutes, or until an internal temperature of 125 degrees is achieved. Do

not overcook.

Meanwhile, in a large sauce pot bring water to a simmer over medium

high heat. Place trimmed asparagus into the water and cook for two to

three minutes. Asparagus must be crisp and bright green.

Carefully drain the cooked asparagus. Transfer and arrange the

asparagus in the center of the plate with all tips facing in the same

direction.

Using a spatula, carefully transfer the salmon steak to the plate and

place directly in the center over the top of the asparagus.

Drizzle the beurre blanc over the salmon steak, allowing the sauce to

pool on the plate.

Mound the red onions on the top and center of the salmon, then

sprinkle the top with chopped dill. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve

immediately.

Beurre blanc

1 cup white wine 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon dry tarragon

1 teaspoon shallots

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 pound butter

In a heavy sauce pot, combine the shallots, wine, tarragon and lemon

juice. Bring to a boil and reduce until almost dry.

Add the whipping cream. Return to a boil and continue to reduce by

half. Cream should be thick and bubbly.

Turn stove down to the lowest possible heat and gradually whisk in the

butter.

Carefully pass the beurre blanc through a fine strainer into a

suitable container.

Keep the beurre blanc warm to hold its texture.