Marinade for Alaska Salmon

Ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 pound Alaska salmon fillets (skin on)
1/2 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 bunch of chopped fresh cilantro leaves (coriander)
6 chopped green onions (scallions) or chives
2 cloves of chopped fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients to make marinade

Preparation:
Place salmon in a flat container or in a large plastic bag that can be sealed to prevent spilling. Add marinade and turn several times to coat fillets. Cover, refrigerate and allow to stand for 1 to 3 hours.

Cooking:
Place fillet on the grill, skin side down and spoon some of the cilantro and scallion marinade over the flesh of the salmon. Place a tent of aluminum foil loosely over the fillet to trap some of the heat and grill flavor. Do not turn the fillet. The heat trapped from the 'foil tent' will cook the fish. This method will allow the salmon to cook and get the grill flavor without breaking the fillet apart. Do not overcook. It can be served when warmed and still has a pink color.

To serve:
Run a spatula between the flesh and the skin and slide the fillets onto a serving platter or serve the portions from the grill.

The skin will be easy to remove from the grill after the flesh has been served.

If you substitute salmon steaks for fillets, you may have to turn steaks once during cooking.

Serve with a buttery Chardonnay or pinot noir.

3/15/2005
Bill Waring
Thyme 'n Wine, A Personal Chef Service

Coquilles Saint Jacques

4 servings

2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons chopped garlic

12 medium clams
18 black mussels
OR Crabmeat

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 medium shrimp (peeled)
6 sea scallops

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 lemon
1 quart fish stock
1 pint heavy cream
2 tablespoons Sherry

1 cup bread crumbs
4 teaspoons parsley, chopped

In a frying pan over medium high heat, add butter, shallots and garlic. Sweat the garlic and shallots until they become translucent.

Add the clams and mussels (or crab) and toss everything together. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Deglaze the frying pan with white wine, cover with a lid and let cook until the mussels and clams start to open. Strain mussels and clams and set aside, reserving the liquid (it will be used to make the sauce).

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat the pan until it is smoking hot. Season the shrimp and scallops with salt and pepper. Carefully place the scallops in the pan and sear, until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the shrimp to the same pan and sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same frying pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and let it get hot. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are cooked and most of their liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the mushrooms.

Deglaze the pan with the liquid you saved from the mussels and clams (or crab) and squeeze in the lemon. Add the fish stock and let reduce. Add the cream and again let reduce over medium heat.

To make the sauce: In a sauté pan melt butter and add flour until both mix evenly together. Let cook for a few minutes on light heat until the mixture resembles pancake batter. Add the liquid from deglazing the pan and stir until everything starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.

If using mussels and clams, remove the shells. Cut the scallops in 4.

Add the mushrooms, scallops, shrimp, mussels, and clams (or crab) to the sauce to combine. Add the sherry.

Fill individual baking shells or bowls with the seafood mixture and sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and parsley. Place under a broiler until the top becomes golden brown.

Bill Waring
Thyme 'n Wine, A Personal Chef Service
3/15/2005