When creating recipes for Northwest treats, it’s fun to pair up ingredients that inhabit the same environs. They frequently make excellent combinations.
To make this dish, simply season fat salmon fillets and sear in olive oil. Once evenly caramelized, move the pieces into a baking dish and finish cooking in a 400 degree oven. Keep an eye on them! Overcooked salmon is a crime! When 90% done, remove from the oven and let them rest to finish cooking.
For the sauce, add minced shallot and rosemary to the remaining oil you cooked the salmon in. When the shallot is done, add a round of tawny port and reduce. Add huckleberries and cook to a glossy substance. Remove from the heat and mount with unsalted butter. Season the finished sauce, as needed. Plate the salmon and serve with your incredible sauce.
If you are unfamiliar with huckleberries, they are in the blueberry family. I found some in the freezer section at Central Market. You can pick them at the end of the Summer in higher elevations. I used to greatly enjoy doing this! The bear ‘sign’, I was careful not to step in, made me a little nervous, but hey, sometimes great meals require some adventure to achieve! Besides their wonderful flavor, they have five times the antioxidant of blueberries! And, like blueberries, they are believed to help maintain mental function, as we age. Something to keep in mind.
Like every recipe I create for Fearless Feast, this one is, of course, gluten free. Enjoy!! Chef Celinda