Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

Thanks to Jean-Robert de Cavel of Jean-Robert at Pigall’s for this recipe.† Jean-Robert had the original idea to add the half smoked salmon to the Just Cured product line.† Thank you Jean-Robert for the idea and this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 4 filets of 5oz. each Just Cured Half Smoked Salmon
• 2 bunches asparagus
• Ω cup butter
• 1 oz. olive oil
• 1 box phyllo dough
• 6 oz. clarified butter
• 2 shallots
• º cup white wine
• Ω cup fish or chicken stock
• Ω cup heavy cream
• 1 oz. basil leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Tomato Rice Pilaf (recipe below)

Method:

Prepare Salmon:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut tips from asparagus and reserve.† Cook the asparagus stems in boiling salted water or steam until tender.† PurÈe the stems in a blender with 2T of soft butter adding salt and pepper to taste.† Reserve the asparagus purÈe

Place tips on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 oz. of olive oil.† Season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 10 minutes.† Set aside to cool and reserve.

Season fish with pepper.† Remove phyllo dough from package.† Place a damp cloth over the phyllo dough.† Butter an oven proof dish.

Fold over one sheet of phyllo into half.† Brush with clarified butter.† Place a salmon filet on top of phyllo toward one end of dough.† Place 2T of purÈe of asparagus on top of the filet, add 3 asparagus tips and wrap in dough.† Repeat for the three remaining filets.

Brush each package with clarified butter and place on buttered dish.† Cook in oven for 10 – 12 minutes.

Prepare Sauce:

Reserve 4 tops of basil for garnish.† Blanch remaining basil† for a few seconds in boiling water. Remove from heat and shock in cold water. Drain and squeeze out remaining water.† Reserve the blanched basil.

Finely chop and sautÈ shallots with 1T of butter.† Add wine; reduce until pan is just dry.† Add fish stock and heavy cream. Reduce slowly until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Transfer sauce to a blender and puree with 4T of soft butter.† Add the blanched basil and blend until smooth.† Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.† Reserve and keep warm.

To serve, place a circle of rice pilaf in the center of each plate.† Place a salmon bundle atop the rice.† Ladle sauce around the plate and garnish with the reserved basil tips.

Bon AppÈtit

Tomato Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:

• Ω red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup white rice
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1T butter
• 1 oz. olive oil
• 1 tomato
• º oz basil

Method:

SautÈ red onion with butter and olive oil.† Add rice, sautÈ 3-4 minutes.† Add 2 cups water and thyme.† Increase heat and bring just to boil.† Reduce heat to low, cover with parchment paper and let cook slowly for 20 minutes.

Dice tomatoes and add to rice.† Add basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.