Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2009 | Page 96
life
FOOD & DRINK
Salmon with Crab Sauce
Quality wild salmon is
easy to recognize. Here's
what to look for:
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: approx. 30min
Serves 4
Ingredients:
11/2 lbs salmon fillet, skin on,
cut into 4 pieces 750g
2 tsp lemon pepper, divided 10 ml
2 Tbsp butter 25ml
2 Tbsp flour 25ml
2 cups homogenized milk 500 ml
4 oz light cream cheese, cubed 125g
1 lemon, juice and zest only
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 can (41/2 fl.oz./128 ml) crabmeat
or 1/4 lb fresh crab meat
Local suppliers: Best Dressed Crab,
Bembridge - 01983 874578
Phillips Fine Foods - 01983 282200
Fresh Wild Salmon
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How to cook
Season salmon with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the lemon
pepper, set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan
over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and let
cook, bubbling gently, for 1 minute. Gradually
whisk in milk and add remaining 1 tsp (5 mL)
lemon pepper. Cook, stirring often, until sauce
has thickened, about 12 minutes.
Remove sauce from heat. Whisk in cream
cheese until melted. Stir in lemon juice, zest,
green onions and crab (with juices if using
tinned). Keep sauce warm over very low heat,
stirring occasionally.
Broil or pan-fry seasoned salmon for 3 – 5
minutes per side until salmon just flakes when
pressed with a fork. Or, to barbecue, place
salmon skin side down on an oiled grill and
cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until salmon
just flakes when pressed with a fork. Top with
crab sauce.
The eyes should appear bright
and clear, almost alive! The gills
should be reddish and the skin
moist and with tightly adhered,
shiny scales.
Fresh salmon flesh will give
slightly when you press it with
a finger, then spring back into
shape.
Fresh salmon never smells fishy, it
smells... fresh.
When you get home from the
market, unwrap your salmon,
wipe it gently with a damp cloth,
then tightly wrap in plastic or foil
and store in the bottom of your
refrigerator. Enjoy it within two
days.
Choosing salmon steaks or
fillets? Whether they're fresh or
previously frozen, look for moist,
translucent - never dried out flesh.
But the easiest way is to buy
canned salmon, good year-round.
Fresh caught, sealed in cans, then
cooked for perfect flavour and
always ready to eat.
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