Give traditional salmon some crunch
It used to be that maple syrup and the three sisters — corn, beans and squash — were about the only foods widely known as Indigenous. But chefs and home cooks are opening our tastebuds to a full variety of First Nations cooking.
Toronto chef David Wolfman, who is from B.C.’s Xaxli’p First Nation, has a handsome new book called Cooking with the Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion (Douglas & McIntyre, 2017). The co-author is Marlene Finn, who is Métis.
This easy salmon recipe is an example of their approach, using a favourite Canadian fish and seasoning it with ingredients from the wild, as well as foreign sources.
Game meats and fish are the stars of this book. Purists may want to smoke the kosher salt or sea salt called for in Wolfman’s recipe; he explains how in his book.
BAKED XAXLI’P SALMON
Serves: 4
4 salmon fillets
■ (1/4 lb/115 g each)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) kosher salt or sea
■ salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) smoked paprika
■ 1/2 tsp (2 mL) crushed black
■ peppercorns
For the crust:
1 cup (250 mL) fresh bread
■ crumbs 2 tbsp (30 mL) dried seaweed
■ (soybean paper may be substituted)
1 tbsp (15 mL) roasted pine nuts
■ or almonds
1/4 tsp (1 mL) kosher salt or sea
■ salt 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest (grated
■ peel)
For the glaze:
■ 2 egg whites, beaten
■ 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup
■ 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard
■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Rinse and pat the fish dry. Season with salt, paprika and crushed peppercorns and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Make the crust in a food processor, grinding together the bread crumbs, seaweed and pine nuts until fine, then mix with salt and lemon zest.
3. In a small bowl, make the glaze by whisking together the egg whites, maple syrup, mustard and butter.
4. Brush glaze over the top of each salmon fillet. Then coat top and sides of each fillet with the crust mixture. (These steps may be done well in advance.)
5. Bake fish in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness. Fish is done when the internal temperature is 145 F (65 C). Serve at once.