As part of the ‘Meals Shared, Memories Shared’ Lunch held at Woollaston at Mahana Estates on 21st October for the ‘Ora King Awards 2014′, Matt Lambert, of NYC’s The Musket Room, created this fantastic ‘Roasted side of Ora King salmon’, recipe below:
On the day Lambert used planks from oak wine barrels and roasted the salmon on these planks in an outdoor wood fire oven with spectacular results.
Lambert served the salmon with a fresh fennel spring salad, inspired by New Zealand and, more particularly, the north, where he’s noticed a remarkable wealth of edible goodies growing wild. You can read more about the lunch, and Matt Lambert’s inspiration here in this blog article by Lauraine Jacobs.
Matt Lambert’s Roasted side of Ora King Salmon
1 side of salmon, pin bones removed, skin on
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of 3 oranges
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
For the manuka honey glaze
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp fennel pollen (or 1 tsp fennel seeds, roasted)
1 tsp coriander seeds, ground and roasted
Method:
Rub the salt, sugar and citrus zest on the flesh side of the salmon. Place in the fridge overnight and allow to cure. Rub, removing cure, but do not wash with water.
Heat the honey, fennel pollen and roasted coriander in a small pan until it melts.
In a hot oven roast skin-side down for 10 minutes or longer but it should be medium-rare. After 5 minutes, brush with the glaze, using a small pastry brush. Some may enjoy the salmon well done, so check it and remove when you are satisfied. Brush the remaining glaze over the salmon.
Serve in a large dish garnished with fennel, mustard frill and peppery herbs such as upland cress or watercress.
Serves 8-10.
Wine match: pinot noir.
Fennel salad with foraged flowers and snow peas
2 fennel bulbs, sliced paper thin on a Japanese mandolin
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp citrus olive oil (Lambert recommends Lot 8)
200g snow peas, strings removed and cut into fine julienne
1/4 cup mint, sliced finely
1/8 cup basil, ripped
Baby nasturtium leaves
2 tbsp cider vinegar
For the garnish
2 tbsp salmon roe or caviar
Foraged flowers; onion, oxalis, nasturtium petals and herb flowers
Method:
Soak the sliced fennel in iced water for 20-40 minutes. Drain water and lightly salt and oil the fennel and allow it to macerate for IV2 hours.
Add snow peas (or sugar snaps cut into triangles). When ready to serve, add mint, basil and nasturtium leaves. Dress with vinegar to taste. (If you don’t like sharp flavours, omit this ingredient.) When the salad is dressed and mixed, add garnishes.
Serves 8.
Wine match: sauvignon blanc.
An alternative Kale salad Matt Lambert matches with his Roasted side of Ora King salmon, below:
Sauteed kale salad
6 bunches Tuscan kale, stems removed (can use baby kales instead of Tuscan kale)
½ cup sea beans (samphire)
8 tbsp roasted garlic olive oil
6-10 roasted garlic cloves (add depending on you own taste)
2 tbsp chardonnay vinegar
Maldon sea salt to taste
Method:
Warm the garlic oil so it doesn’t burn and destroy the flavor. When it is warm, just too hot to touch, add sea beans, cook for 30 seconds – 1 min.
Add kale and garlic cloves and cook until kale is wilted (requires large pan – big enough to hold the raw volume of kale). Add vinegar and salt.
Serve warm, and garnish with roasted hazelnuts, crunched, and foraged flowers.
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