The Sauced Chef

Walnut Crusted Salmon Steaks

food processor or blender

medium size baking pan (with a lip)

1 small bowl

1 small brush

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

2 salmon steaks (8 – 120z) or filets (sockeye perferred)

1 cup fresh walnuts

1/4 cup fresh parsley

2 vanilla wafers

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt TT

 Pepper TT

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine walnuts, parsley, vanilla wafers and cayenne pepper in food processor and thoroughly blend (until small and crumblike)
3. Taste the crust mixture and finish with salt/pepper to your saucy taste!
4. Beat egg and milk in small bowl to make an eggwash
5. Pour crust mixture on working surface or bowl (not the one you will bake in)
6. Have greased baking pan ready
7. Egg wash the salmon filets lightly with brush and throughly cover each one with crumb mixture and place in baking pan (be sure to use every last bit of crust mixture)
8. Bake in oven for 10 – 20 minutes or until salmon feels firm and begins to flake
9. Serve with rice and veggies for a healthy meal!

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Sauce Lab #10:  Eggnog Base

2 Large  bowls

Medium saucepan

Whip

Ladle for tempering

12 oz milk

2 tbsp vanilla extract (or 1 split vanilla bean)

2 egg yolks

1 oz fine granulated sugar

1 oz cake flour

1/2 oz cornstarch

3 oz Grand Marnier

6-8 oz Sauce Lab #10: Creme Chantilly

1. Heat the milk and vanilla to just below boiling point
2. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until pale.  Add the flour and cornstarch and mix well
3. Temper the egg mixture by gradually stirring in about half the hot milk.  Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.  Return to a boil, whipping constantly
4. Remove from heat and stir in the Grand Marnier
5. Cover with plastic film** and cool thoroughly, than chill in fridge
6. Once it is cool, beat well until perfectly smooth
7. Fold in creme chantilly

** Just use plastic wrap to cover the pan and throw it in the fridge.  Make sure the plastic wrap actually touches (is flush with) the top of the mixture, this is very important!

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Sauce Lab #9: Creme Chantilly

 Mixer (optional, makes it a lot easier)

2 cups heavy cream or creme fraiche

1/4 confectioner’s sugar

2 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Whip the cream by hand or machine until it forms soft peaks**
2. Add the sugar and vanilla.  Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks but it still smooth (the consistency of whipped cream or cool whip). Don’t overwhip because the the cream will seperate and you will be left with a dish full of butter, baby!

** Soft peaks just look like little waves in the cream.  Basically view this as the halfway point of thickness

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Sauce Lab #5: Lemon-Thyme-Beet Vinaigrette

food processor

1/2 cup beet juice (or you can puree 1/4 of a roasted beet)

3 tbsp lemon zest

3 tbsp FRESH thyme

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp vanilla balsamic (or regular balsamic w/ vanilla extract added)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp honey

3/4 cup salad oil

 S/P TT

1. Add everything but the oil and S/P to the food processor and blend
2. While the food processor is blending slowly pour in the oil (depending on your oilyness preference, you may want to add more oil)
3. Season with S/P till it reaches that tasty pinnacle of zest

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