Sauté of Salmon with Rhubarb Purée

Rhubarb is one of my favorites from the garden. Its tender buds push through the soil in late March or early April and, if I harvest it on a regular basis, I can make this fabulous puree that is incredibly compatible with most seafood through mid-September. I particularly appreciate the way it augments salmon. Don’t feel obligated to sauté the salmon, grilling is just as good, weather permitting.

Ingredients for Salmon

4 6oz. skin on salmon fillets

3 T olive oil

Sprinkle of salt and grind of pepper to taste

Preparation for Salmon

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat.

Season the salmon and add flesh side down to sear to golden. Season the skin and turn to have the skin side down.

Place into the oven until the salmon is firm and the skin crisp, about 8 minutes. The skin is awesome…. Eat it!!

Divide the rhubarb between 4 warm plates, top with the salmon and a toss of delicate greens.

NOTE

Salmon skin is full of omega 3. It is great if really crispy and heavily seasoned with salt and pepper. An alternative presentation is to remove the skin before plating and serve on a separate plate. Pea tendrils or radish sprouts tossed with a squeeze of lemon juice and olive oil are a great foil to the richness of the salmon.

Ingredients for Purée

5 pieces of allspice

2T peeled and finely diced ginger

4 cups rhubarb, preferably fresh, peeled if picked late season and stringy

¼ vanilla bean slit lengthwise

¾ cup sugar, I prefer organic

½ cup water

Salt to finish

Preparation for Purée

Make a sachet: coffee filter or cheesecloth filled with the ginger and allspice

wrapped and tied with butcher’s string.

Place the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean, water, sugar and sachet in a 2 QT. saucepan.

Cook over medium low heat simmering slowing and stirring every 5 minutes until the consistency of jam. About 30 minutes.

Remove the sachet and discard. Scrape the vanilla bean of its seeds and add to the rhubarb.

Puree in a food processor, season with salt to taste.

Cool and refrigerate for later use, up to 4 days or use warm or at room temperature when finished.