Recipes

BC Blueberries With Salmon From Chef Jesse Zuber At Cibo

Posted by cassandra on

Salmon With BC Blueberries From Chef Jesse Zuber

BC Blueberries are all the rage, all year long, but right now they are super fresh and available at all your local markets. For those more adventurous, there’s you-pick too; locations listed HERE. To get you even more jazzed about these local BC gems, BC Blueberries has a website full of all things Blueberry and you can even win $1,000 worth of gift cards and more at GoBlueBC.ca.

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The Go Blue BC Virtual Event is online until August 3rd at  GoBlueBC.ca, where  how-to videos, chef and grower interviews, recipes, family-friendly activities, and an exciting grand prize contest are featured. Naturally, the website will also feature links to all our BC Blueberry producers, helping you find fresh BC blueberries in your area. More on the celebration HERE.

Should you find yourself with blueberries you did not gobble up right away, we suggest creating this salmon recipe from Chef Jesse Zuber at Cibo Restaurant.

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Salmon and Blueberry Infused Vinegar

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS FOR SALMON

  • Salmon Fillets (preferably wild, line caught) – pin boned and trimmed to 5 oz
  • 500 grams sugar
  • 750 grams red wine vinegar
  • 1 pint of BC blueberries
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 shallot, quartered

INGREDIENTS FOR GARNISH

  • 3 tbsp. sunflower seeds
  • ¼ cup cooked white beans, preferably coco or cannellini, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup cooked farro verde
  • ¼ cup Sicilian pistachios
  • ¼ cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 tbsp., finely chopped sea asparagus
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp. finely chopped chives
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • ½ cup blueberries, whole and halved (halved simply for esthetics)
  • ½ cup sea asparagus, trimmed of any dense woody bits

INGREDIENTS FOR CHIVE CREMA

  • 1 cup cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 bunch of chives
  • 2 tsp salt

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METHOD

BC Blueberries Infused Vinegar:

  1. Bring the red wine vinegar to the boil in a medium saucepan with the blueberries, thyme and shallot.
  2. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking until reduced by about a cup, leaving roughly 500 ml of liquid.
  3. Strain the solids through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve about 4 tbsp of the liquid for finishing the plate. Set aside.
  4. With a large saucepan set over medium high heat. Caramelize the sugar until a deep amber is achieved.
  5. Remove from the heat and all at once, add the remaining vinegar infusion, being very careful as it will bubble up and spit.
  6. Return the pot to a low simmer and gently stirring with a wooden spoon reduce the liquid by a quarter. Set aside.

Garnish:

  1. Begin by softening the pistachio and sunflower seeds. Separately in small sauce pots, add the seeds and nuts and top with 1” with water. Bring to a bare simmer.
  2. Lightly season with salt and continue cooking until the seeds and nuts are softened but not mushy.
  3. Drain any excess water. Set the seeds aside.
  4. Remove the brown outer membrane of the pistachio by gently rubbing them between your fingers. Discard the membrane and set the nuts aside.
  5. In a medium size sauce pot, combine the nuts, seeds, and all remaining ingredients, except the blue berries and the ½ cup sea asparagus. Add a quarter cup of water and set aside until ready to bring it all together.
  6. In a medium size sauce pot, combine the nuts, seeds, and all remaining ingredients, except the blue berries and the sea asaparagus. Add a quarter cup of water and set aside until ready to bring it all together.
  7. Prepare the froth by combining the chives, cream and salt in a medium saucepot. Simmer gently until lightly reduced and flavorful. Strain the solids and discard.
  8. Transfer the liquid to a blender and add the milk.
  9. Froth the foam in the blender by running it on high speed for a few seconds.

Salmon:

  1. Fill the base of a large saute pan with the blueberry infused vinegar.
  2. Add the salmon to the pan.
  3. Gently cook the salmon unilaterally over low heat until just medium rare on top and cooked on the bottom.
  4. While the salmon cooks, warm the garnish over medium heat, reducing all the water until the grains are lightly glazed. Season to taste with salt and a dash of lemon. Fold through the fresh berries.
  5. Once salmon is cooked, remove from the pan immediately and transfer to a holding tray

To Serve:

  1. Artfully arrange the garnish on the plate, gently transfer the salmon to the plate and then finish with a few dollops of the froth, and a spoonful of the BC Blueberries vinegar reduction.
  2. Serve immediately.