Poached salmon w/ polenta & cilantro pesto - house beauti

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
3 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ cup Pine nuts
1 small Bunch cilantro with stems, roughly chopped
1 Fresh green jalapeno chili, stemmed, seeded & roughly chopped (wear rubber gloves
6 cups Chicken stock or water
1 small Onion, minced
1 Bay leaf
½ Red bell pepper, seeded, deveined, and roughly chopped
1 Jalapeno or Thai chili (opt), seeded, deveined & roughly chopped (wear
3 pounds Boneless flesh salmon fillet, at room temperature
1 small Onion, sliced very thin
2 To 3 limes, sliced thin
1 Red or green fresh jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, & sliced
Lime wedges
Red or green jalapeno chili when handling hot peppers)
½ cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
½ cup Grated Asiago cheese, preferably a medium-aged Stella brand
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste rubber gloves when handling hot peppers)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1½ cup Polenta, preferably Golden Pheasant brand
½ cup Sweet butter, room temp.
Zest of 1 orange
¼ cup Finely chopped scallions thin (wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers)
4 To 6 sprigs of cilantro
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste slices, seeded
Cilantro sprigs

Directions

FOR CILANTRO PESTO

FOR POLENTA

FOR POACHED SALMON

FOR GARNISH

Prepare cilantro pesto: In a small dry skillet over low heat, toast garlic and pine nuts, stirring constantly, until golden. Coot and set aside.

In a blender puree cilantro, chilies, ¼ C olive oil, and vinegar.

Add reserved garlic and pine nuts, cheese, salt, and pepper to the blender. Slowly add remaining olive oil and purse mixture until smooth. Makes about 1¼ C.

Prepare polenta: In a large heavy saucepan, boil chicken stock, onion, bay leaf, red pepper, and opt., chili pepper and season to taste. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly. Lower heat to simmer and cook, stirring constantly for 5 to 8 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Discard bay leaf Remove pan from heat and gently stir in butter, orange zest, and scallions. Cover pan tightly and keep polenta warm over low heat until ready to serve.

Prepare salmon: In a baking dish lined with aluminum foil, place salmon skin-side down and top with slices of onion, lime, jalapeno, and cilantro sprigs. Drizzle surface with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 300'F oven for 20 minutes or until salmon flesh is firm.

Cool 10 minutes and cut salmon into 6 triangular wedges.

To serve: Divide polenta evenly among 6 dinner plates and top with about 2 T pesto sauce. Place salmon triangles on plates and garnish each plate with lime wedges, jalapeno chili slices, and cilantro.

Serves 6.

House Beautiful/June/94 Scanned & fixed by Di & Gary

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