Chef In The Hat: Recipes

Chef Thierry’s NW Salmon with Olive Tapenade

As seen on San Diego Living on November 18, 2010

Tapenade is a blend of black and green olives, garlic, olive oil, and herbs chopped and mixed together. You can use it for a variety of dishes, but you can also purchase a quality prepared tapenade if you prefer, my favorite is from Haddouch Gourmet Imports.

4 Salmon steaks (4-5 oz each) skin on and pin bone out

Tapenade:

1 ½ Cup pitted & chopped olives

4 tablespoon chopped shallots

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3 teaspoons Harissa (for spicier result add more harissa)

3 red bell peppers (roasted, skinned and diced small)

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 tablespoon chopped chive

¾ Moroccan Olive Oil

Toss all the tapenade ingredients in a salad bowl and season with salt & pepper to taste. Spread all the tapenade on the top of all the salmon padding gently so it stays atop. Let marinate for at least one hour but not more than two.

Start your barbecue with all the coals in the center. When all the coals are really hot move them to the side, close the lid and get the grill really hot.

Once high heat temperature is reached, lift the cover and place your salmon steaks on the center of the grill. Close the lid and let cook for about 4 minutes. Lift the lid and remove the salmon steak by sliding a wide metal spatula between the meat and the skin. Gently remove the salmon leaving the skin on the grill and trying to keep as much tapenade on the salmon as possible. Serve warm.

Yields 4 servings

Thierry Rautureau, The Chef In The Hat!!!

Posted on November 18th, 2010

Pacific Cod with Lobster Mushroom, Braised Rainbow Chard and Herbs

This recipe was featured on Rover’s Seattle Restaurant Week Fall 2010 Menu. Seattle Restaurant Week is October 17 thru October 28, 2010

Pacific Cod with Lobster Mushroom, Braised Rainbow Chard and Herbs

Serves 4-6

For the Cod:

1.5-2lbs Pacific Cod, filleted and cut into 4-6oz portions

2Tbs Herbs, chopped (Thyme, Parsley, Oregano, Chives)

2Tbs Olive Oil

2Tbs Butter

Sea Salt and White Pepper

1. Portion the fish into 4-6oz portions.
2. Dry the fish with paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
3. Rub the fish with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a large sauté pan, add butter and heat until butter begins to brown. Add fish skin side up to the hot pan. And shake the pan lightly to make sure the fish doesn’t stick. Cook over medium heat 1-2min.
5. Using a fish spatula, flip the fish and continue cooking 1 min.
6. To test doneness, use a paring knife and pierce the fish at the thickest part, and if the knife can go through with little resistance you know it is done. If it is underdone, there will be resistance against the pairing knife.
7. Turn off heat and let the fish rest.

For the Mushrooms:

1-1.5lbs Lobster Mushroom, sliced

1Tbs Olive Oil

2Tbs Butter

1Tbs Shallot, minced

1tsp Garlic, minced

2tsp Thyme, chopped

Sea Salt and White Pepper

1. Clean the mushrooms by using a brush to remove any dirt or grit. If they are very dirty, you can run the mushroom under water to get them clean while using a brush. Trim off any debris from the mushroom with a pairing knife.
2. Slice the mushrooms into ¼” thick slices.
3. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add butter and olive oil and bring the butter to a golden brown. Add the mushrooms and cook for 30sec before tossing. Continue cooking 2-3min, stirring/toss often.
4. Once the mushrooms get some color, add the shallot, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 min.
5. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Swiss Chard:

1-2 bunches of Rainbow Swiss Chard, rinsed and cleaned

1 Medium Onion, sliced

1Tbs Garlic, minced

3T Olive Oil

Sea Salt and white pepper to taste

1T red wine vinegar (or any vinegar you have in your pantry)

1. Remove the stems from the leaves of the chard. Dice up the stems and cut the leaves into 1” strips and keep them separated.
2. In a sauce pan, large enough to hold all of the chard, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, 5-7 min. Add the chard stems and cook for 1-2 min. Add the chard leaves, garlic, salt and pepper and cook over medium/low heat until it cook until wilted and softens 10 min.
3. Add vinegar, cook for 1 min.
4. Remove from heat

Optional Herb Olive Oil Sauce:

2T Olive Oil, (your best Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

2T Herbs (Thyme, Parsley, Oregano, Chives)

1t Lemon Juice

Salt and White Pepper

1. In a small mixing bowl, stir olive oil, herbs, lemon juice together. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Set aside.

Assembly:

1. Portion all ingredients onto individual dinner plates. Lay the portioned pieces of fish on top. Drizzle with the optional herb olive oil sauce. Serve immediately.

Rover’s Restaurant, 2010 ©

Posted on October 25th, 2010