Mustard Seed-Crusted Salmon with Mustard Cream Sauce

When you are knee deep into a “Blue Bloods” marathon in honor of Tom Selleck's 71st birthday (Although, really any excuse to stare at Tom Selleck works for me, and doesn't he look fabulous for seventy one?) there is no time to labor over a lengthy recipe in the kitchen. A piece of wild salmon was calling my name from the fridge, so a quick rifling through our assembled book of favorite salmon recipes yielded this one from an old issue of Gourmet magazine from 2004. I had no fresh tarragon on hand, so subbed a teaspoon of dried, and paired this dish with a side of Melissa's Roasted Dutch Yellow Potatoes (where all of the work is virtually done), and leftover fresh green beans from the night before. What a wonderful meal in such a short amount of time!

Mustard Seed-Crusted Salmon

with Mustard Cream Sauce

1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped shallots
3 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds, divided
3/4 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
4 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Boil wine, shallots, and 1 tablespoon mustard seeds in heavy small saucepan until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Whisk in cream, 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and tarragon. Boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 3 minutes (more or less, depending upon how thick you want your sauce). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat; cover.

Brush salmon on both sides with remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and sprinkle (again, both sides) with remaining 2 tablespoons mustard seeds, salt, and pepper. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add salmon and cook just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Spoon mustard sauce over salmon.

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Buffalo Salmon

It's the season for fish dishes, and this very simple, very fast, moist and tasty salmon recipe will please the entire family. Surprisingly, it's not all that hot, and the hot sauce taste not at all overt. I tented mine with foil to keep the Panko from getting too brown while baking (I'm convinced this is what made the fish so succulent), and then, because it didn't brown at all, finished it off under the broiler. I served it with rice pilaf and a green salad; it was an easy meal that we both enjoyed.

Buffalo Salmon

Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Frank's Redhot sauce

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/3 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 (1/2-pound) pieces salmon fillet, skinned

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan.

Melt butter with hot sauce, garlic salt, and pepper over medium heat. Set aside half of sauce.

Toss panko with oil in a bowl. Put salmon in baking pan and brush with half of the sauce. Sprinkle panko evenly over top of fish, pressing down lightly, and bake until panko is golden and fish is just cooked through, 16 to 22 minutes. Drizzle with reserved sauce.

Serves 2

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Beets in Vinaigrette

I grew up with a disdain for beets.  I suppose it’s because my mother only ever served them pickled, right from the jar.  My dad loved them; I held my nose and tried to choke them down.  That was my one and only experience with beets.  It left a scar.

Decades later, enter Melissa’s Produce and their Peeled and Steamed Baby Beets. I was wary of tasting them but, wow, what a revelation!  As Tony the Tiger would say, “They're great!”  With a fresh-from-the-garden taste, these French-grown beets have a slice-and-serve convenience that every busy cook will appreciate.  Serve them warm, toss them into salads, or whip up this very simple vinaigrette and leave them in the fridge until you're ready for them.  They add a splash of color and a touch of elegance to any meal.  Your guests will be amazed. 

Beets in Vinaigrette

Adapted from a recipe in Gourmet, January 2008

1 8-oz. package Melissa’s Peeled & Steamed Baby Beets

2-1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Cut beets into ¼” slices and arrange on a plate (if serving immediately) on in a container (if storing in the fridge).  Set aside.

Whisk together vinegar, onion, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.  Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly to emulsify.  Stir in parsley.  Pour over beets.  Garnish with kale sprouts and serve.