Recipe: Baked Salmon Royale (Royal Palace)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Truffled Cauliflower Puree:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 pound cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon white truffle oil

Sautéed Swiss Chard:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard (about 1 large bunch), cut into strips
1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper

Baked Salmon:
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/3 pound smoked salmon, very finely chopped
1/3 cup prepared horseradish
1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
4 (6-ounce) filets salmon

Beurre Blanc:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 shallot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1/2 leek, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
1/2 cup fish stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
Freshly chopped chives, optional

Method of Preparation:

For the truffled cauliflower puree:
Heat butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sauté shallot until translucent, then add cauliflower florets, cream, salt and pepper.
Stir to combine.

Cover pot and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is soft, about 10 minutes.
Add salt and white pepper; stir in truffle oil.

Transfer mixture to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

For the sautéed Swiss chard:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Add the Swiss chard and sauté until slightly wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the wine, salt and pepper; simmer until wine is reduced and Swiss chard is tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

For the baked salmon:

Preheat oven to 280°F. Combine panko, smoked salmon, horseradish, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Stir until breadcrumbs absorb oil and mixture is combined.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear salmon on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
Cool to room temperature. Evenly distribute panko mixture among the tops of the salmon filets. Bake salmon for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden and salmon is just cooked through.

For the beurre blanc:
Cut butter into tablespoons. Reserve 2 tablespoons; set remaining butter aside.

Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Sauté the shallot, celery and leek for 2 minutes.
Add the wine and fish stock. Simmer until reduced by 2/3, about 10 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer until mixture is reduced by 1/3.

Turn heat to low. Whisk remaining butter into wine mixture, one piece at a time, allowing each piece to melt fully before adding the next one.
Season with salt and white pepper.

Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To serve:
Spoon truffled cauliflower puree onto the center of a plate and top with sautéed Swiss shard. Place a piece of salmon over the Swiss chard, then drizzle with beurre blanc. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.