Roasted Salmon Filet With Caramelized Fennel And Crispy Leek Topping

Roasted Salmon Filet With

Caramelized Fennel And

Crispy Leek Topping

Mary Ann Vitale owner of two restaurants, Lal Traverna and Sorella della Taverna in LaJolla CA, also professional chef taught cooking classes at the Great News Cooking School which is soon to close.  I attended her class, "Seafood Extravaganza". I will post the five recipes from this class.  Enjoy.

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Ingredients:

Compound Butter:

1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons shallot, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, rough chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Pernod

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Directions:

Toast fennel seeds in a non-stick fry pan until fragrant. Stir and shake pan being careful not to burn seeds.  Cool

In the bowl of a food process add the butter and shallots, Pernod, and 1 tablespoon of seeds.  Season with salt and pepper and pulse until well blended.  Remove mixture to a bowl and stir in parsley.

Salmon:   Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Fennel bulbs with fronds quartered

   and cut in thin slices

4 6-8 ounce salmon filets

3 tablespoons Pernod

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Add 1 tablespoon of the compound butter to a large skillet and add sliced fennel bulb and 2 tablespoons water.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until fennel is crisp tender and begins to turn golden brown and caramelized.  Transfer to plate.

Rub salmon filets with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper.  Place salmon on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and add a dollop of compound butter to each filet.  Divide fennel evenly over each filet and sprinkle on Pernod.  Return to oven and bake an additional 5 minutes or until salmon is firm to the touch and cooked through.  Transfer salmon to platter and sprinkle with fried leeks.

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Crispy Fried Leeks:

Oil for frying

3 cups matchstick strips leeks

About 5 small leeks, white abad pale green parts only.  Soak leeks and rinse and drain well.  DRY thoroughly!  Heat oil to 350 degrees.  Fry leeks in small batches, about 30 seconds.  Drain on paper towels and season with salt.