RECIPE - Salmon with Sorrel Sauce (Salmão ao Molho de Azedinha)

As mentioned in our most recent post, the sharp acidic bite of sorrel (azedinha in Portuguese) perfectly complements fatty proteins, as the acid cuts into the richness of the protein and prevents the dish from seeming over-rich. This recipe, from São Paulo chef Fred Frank, is a perfect example. Salmon is a fish that is high in fat (but remember - it's the good kind of fat, Omega 3) and is often served with acidic sauces to reduce the sensation of fattiness. Citrus juices and sour berries are common sources of acid in salmon dishes - here the acid is provided instead by sorrel leaves.

Sorrel can often be found in better quality supermarkets and natural food stores, and it can easily be grown in most areas of Europe and North America.

The recipe calls for fish stock and includes instructions on making the stock. If you have access to fish stock or have some in the freezer, omit the portion of the recipe for making fish stock and substitute an equivalent quantity of your own.

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RECIPE - Salmon with Sorrel Sauce (Salmão ao Molho de  Azedinha)
Serves 4

For the fish stock:
8 cups ( 2L) water
2 lbs (1 kg) fish bones, from firm-fleshed white fish (NOT from salmon), well rinsed
1/2 cup thin slices of carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup sliced leeks (white part only)
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the sorrel sauce:
1 cup (250 ml) fish stock (save extra for another use - best to freeze)
1 cup (250 ml) creme fraiche or sour cream
1 large bunch sorrel, stems removed, leaves shredded finely
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
salt and white pepper to taste

For the salmon:
4 pieces salmon, steaks or 3" slices from fillet
salt and white pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil to taste
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In a stock pot or large sauce pan, heat the oil, then add the carrots, celery, onion and leeks and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are softened but not browned.  Add the water and fish bones, bring to a boil, and cook at a slow boil for 20 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then drain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve, pressing down on vegetables and bones to extract the flavors. Reserve,

In a medium sauce pan combine the creme fraiche or sour cream and 1 cup of the fish stock. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes to reduce the sauce by about 1/3. Meantime melt the butter in a small fying pan, then add the sorrel and cook for a few minutes, until the leaves wilt and take on a bright color. Mix the sorrel into the sauce, add salt and white pepper to taste and reserve, keeping warm.

Season the salmon with salt and pepper, then grill or broil just until done and nicely browned.

Serve the salmon, dressed with the sorrel sauce immediately. May be accompanied by mashed potatoes, a potato gratin, noodles, or soft polenta.

Recipe translated and adapted from Nossa Panela Brasil.

RECIPE - Salmon with Turmeric Rice (Salmão com Arroz de Açafrão-da-terra)

This recipe for salmon with "saffron of the earth" (aka turmeric) shows how Brazilian cooks have successfully adapted recipes featuring saffron by substituting turmeric for that incredibly expensive spice. (read more about this here) Rice is combined with true saffron in the foods of many cultures. Examples are Indian biryani, Persian pilau, and Italy's risotto milanese. Here the rice is colored and flavored with turmeric instead.

Salmon is a popular fish these days in Brazil, but since it's a cold-water species, it is not caught locally. The salmon that is available in Brazil is normally farmed salmon from Chile, where there's a large aquaculture industry. Having just returned myself from the west coast of Canada, where they were enjoying the best sockeye salmon catch in a hundred years, I find farmed salmon a somewhat palid  variation, but Brazilians do love it. I'm sure that this recipe would be marvelous with wild Atlantic or Pacific salmon.
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RECIPE - Salmon with Turmeric Rice (Salmão com Arroz de Açafrão-da-terra)
Serves 4

For the rice:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups long-grain white rice
2 cups water
1.5 cup light chicken stock
1/2 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste

For the salmon:
1 medium salmon fillet, cut into 4 serving pieces
1/3cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
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Make the rice: in a heavy, medium saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry until translucent but not browned. Add the rice (and a bit more oil if necessary) and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the rice is coated with oil and becoming transparent. Add the water, chicken stock and turmeric, adjusting salt if necessary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes, undisturbed. Remove from heat and let stand, without uncovering, for 10 minutes. Reserve.

Make the salmon: Heat a heavy non-stick frying pan or grill pan over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil and cook the salmon, skin side down first, for about 5-7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Meanwhile, in a medium pan heat the remaining olive oil, and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is transparent but not browned. Add the white wine ,whipping cream, tomato paste and 1 Tbsp. parsley. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has cooked down and thickened, approximately 5 minutes.

To serve: Pool some sauce on a plate, top with a salmon fillet, then drizzle additional sauce over. Add a mound of rice to the side of the fish, then sprinkle the additional chopped parsley over all. Serve immediately

RECIPE - Salmon with Mango Sauce (Salmão com Manga)

In recent years, Brazilians have developed a taste for salmon. Being a cold-water fish, salmon is not found in Brazilian waters, so all the salmon is imported. Most of it, if not all, is farmed salmon imported from Chile. I've not seen anything yet in the Brazilian press about the dangers of aquaculture of salmon, though I'm well familiar with the issues from the many years I lived in British Columbia.

Much of the imported salmon in Brazil goes into the making of sushi, for which Brazilians have an enormous appetite. But fillets and steaks are also available fresh or frozen in supermarkets, and the fish often appears on restaurant menus.

Here's a recipe for salmon in a mango sauce from the state of Espírito Santo. It's easy to make, and with luck, you'll be able to find wild salmon for a much improved flavor and sustainability profile for the recipe. The sauce, by the way, is entirely Brazilian in inspiration and goes equally well with any number of other species of fish.
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RECIPE - Salmon with Mango Sauce
Serves 4

2 lbs. (1 kg.) salmon fillet, preferably wild salmon, cut into four serving pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. green onion, green part only, finely chopped
2 large mangoes, peeled and the flesh cubed
Juice of 4 medium oranges
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Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
In a large heavy frying pan melt the butter in the white wine. When butter is melted, remove from heat, add the parsley and green onion and lightly mix.
Put the fish fillets in a square or rectangular baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour the butter or wine mixture over the fish, then half the orange juice. Place the cubed mango on the fillets, covering them as much as possible, and then pour the remaining orange juice over the cubes.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, then place it in a pre-heated medium oven 325F (160C) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, then continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until the mango is lightly browned and the fish is cooked.
Serve immediately with white rice.


Recipe translated and adapted from Cozinha Regional Brasileira by Abril Editora