Porcini-Dusted Salmon w/ Sauce Colbert & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Hey guys!  November 13th is always a weird day for me.  It marks a day where someone close to me passed away.  No matter how much time passes (8 years today), it always seems like just yesterday that it happened.  I don't want to go into too much detail, because I don't want to depress anybody, but I definitely wouldn't be the person I am today without the impact of this person in my life.

This dish is elegant and tasty.  Easier than it looks, and definitely will impress dinner guests!

I love using dried porcini mushrooms as a component in dishes.  Just grind them up in a spice grinder and you have a powder that can bring a dish from ordinary to magical in a matter of seconds!  Definitely a secret ingredient I'd keep handy!

The sauce is basically a bearnaise sauce with the addition of a demi-glace.  In this case, a seafood demi-glace.

Ingredients:

Salmon:

2 6 oz. portions of salmon
salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons of dried porcini mushroom powder
flour, for dusting
1 tablespoon olive oil

Sauce Colbert:

1/4 cup champagne vinegar (I had an orange-infused one that brought some citrus flair to the sauce)
1/4 cup white wine 
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
salt and pepper, to taste
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 cup seafood stock

Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

3 large red potatoes, washed and quartered
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
5 cloves roasted garlic
salt and pepper, to taste

Start by making your sauce.  In a small saucepan, combine the champagne vinegar, white wine, shallot, and tarragon.  Reduce mixture until it is about 2 tablespoons.  Strain and let cool. 

In another small saucepan, add the seafood stock and reduce to about 2-3 tablespoons.  Skim for any impurities and set aside.

Set up a double boiler under medium low heat.  Beat the egg yolks in the bowl until they are a pale yellow and slightly thicken.  Be careful not to let the eggs cook rapidly because you'll end up with a curdled mess.  You can remove the bowl from the double boiler, if needed.

Strain the cooled vinegar liquid into the egg yolks and continue to slowly cook, whisking constantly, over the double boiler.  Whisk in the cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated.  Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, about a tablespoon at a time.  Don't add any more in until the previous amount it whisked in - this is similar to making a hollandaise or mayonnaise. 

When all the butter is incorporated and the sauce is at your desired consistency, whisk in the reduced seafood stock and chopped parsley.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Reserve sauce under low heat, keeping an eye on it to make sure the eggs do not curdle. (I basically just let my bowl sit over the double boiler with the heat turned off, the residual heat should be enough to get you through cooking the rest of your meal).

Preheat oven to 425 F.

To make the mashed potatoes, add the potatoes to a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Boil until tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Drain and return to saucepan.  Add heavy cream, butter, goat cheese, and roasted garlic.  Mash until you reach your desired consistency - I like lumps, so I like to leave it very rustic.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place about 1/2 cup of flour in a pan.  Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper.  Dust each piece of salmon with about 1 teaspoon of porcini mushroom powder.  Then dredge each piece of salmon in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat an oven-proof skillet under medium high heat and add olive oil.  Add salmon to pan, presentation-side down and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Flip salmon over and transfer pan to the oven and cook until flaky, about 5 minutes (I like my salmon on the medium rare to medium side).

To plate, place a mound of mashed potatoes in the center of your plate.  Top with the salmon fillet.  Drizzle sauce atop salmon and around plate.  Garnish with parsley.  Voila!  A simple meal that is full of flavor!

Hope you guys have a great rest of the week!