BUONGUSTAIO
El Salmón A Chilean Masterpiece STORY & RECIPE BY CHEF SEAN FINLEY
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T H E S P O R T I N G L I F E No.002
Here in South Dakota when our clients think of fresh fish, they can imagine walleye out of Lake Oahe, but they never think we can get fresh, sushi-grade salmon from the Pacific Ocean just off the coast of southern Chile and only 48 hours out of the water. Welcome to Verlasso Salmon Described as a company on the cutting edge of harmonious, sustainable aquaculture, Verlasso is the ultra-premium brand of AquaChile and sets the highest standard in producing the best quality salmon filet I have ever worked with as a chef. We are proud to serve this salmon at both The Signature Lodge and The North Platte Outpost Lodge in Nebraska. What makes Verlasso salmon different? They care about every step of the salmon farming process. Location matters! Verlasso salmon farms are located in the southern Pacific Ocean at a latitude of 42° south. This remote location, far from any city or industrial area, provides ideal growing conditions that yield healthy, delicious salmon. In this region of the Pacific Ocean, the Humboldt Current flows upward from deep ocean trenches. This constant current refreshes the water on the salmon farms and provides micro-nutrients and plankton, essential to the salmon’s development. They Are Generational Fish Like a champion breeder of Kentucky Derby thoroughbreds or award-winning English Pointers, Verlasso hand selects their breeder stock based on appearance, strength, fat levels, flavor, and disease resistance. Verlasso can trace back for generations the salmon they send to my kitchen. You Are What You Eat! The salmon raised by Verlasso are algae-rich in Omega-3 and they are fed a diet of non-salmon fish trimmings that
are sourced from wild-caught certified sustainable fisheries. This salmon food is a proprietary blend which ensures consistent flavor and color. They also never use any hormones or preventative antibiotics to raise the fish, and even their nets and enclosures contain no copper anti-foulants or organophosphates. This ensures the least amount of disruption to the surrounding environment. When the Verlasso salmon arrives in the kitchen you can see, smell, and taste the quality of the filets. The fat content and texture of the fish is just amazing. My culinary staff immediately cuts some for sushi, and we all enjoy a little salmon sashimi, no matter what time of day it is. Why do we cook with Verlasso Salmon at our lodges? Verlasso salmon has a buttery mouth feel, firm texture and mild flavor that complements any method of cooking or preparation. The salmon is lower in fat than conventional farmed salmon and offers a brighter taste with no residual fishy flavor on the palate, or aroma in the kitchen. Clean, fresh, and firm, Verlasso salmon makes every dish a masterpiece.
Recipe The Signature Lodge’s Grilled Salmon with Warm Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa, Cilantro Lime Rice and Roasted Corn Salsa, page 19.
Where to Get Verlasso Salmon Ask your local fish monger if they can buy it from their fish supplier or go to the Verlasso website (VERLASSO.COM) and navigate to the “Shop Online” page. They have a list of retailers who carry their salmon nationwide by region. I highly recommend that you try this wonderful fish as soon as you possibly can. THE SPORTING LIFE
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Clean, fresh, and firm, Verlasso salmon makes every dish a masterpiece.
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T H E S P O R T I N G L I F E No.002
The Signature Lodge’s Grilled Salmon with Warm Tomatillo and Avocado Salsa, Cilantro Lime Rice and Roasted Corn Salsa
Grilled Salmon Filet
1 8- to 10-oz. salmon filet per person Have your fish monger cut the salmon for you if you do not want to cut a larger filet at home. We suggest using a high-quality salmon like Verlasso from Chile . jumbo lump crab meat, set aside for the plate-up Lightly brush the salmon filet(s) with olive oil and grill meat-side-down first over hickory or oak charcoal. Flip the filets after 4–8 minutes and finish cooking skin-side-down so as not to burn or over-char the salmon.
Tomatillo & Avocado Salsa
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and flesh scooped out 2 tomatillos, blanched, cut in half 1 fresh jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and cut into quarters 1 cup of water 1 tbsp. white vinegar 3/4 tsp. salt 2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced 2 tbsp. onions, diced Blend all ingredients on high speed until very smooth. Add salt to taste, if desired. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge, at least a week. Warm on stove to put over the grilled salmon.
THE PLATE-UP Put a generous scoop of the cilantro & lime rice
in the center of the plate. Go around the scoop with the roasted corn salsa. Place the salmon on top of the rice. Ladle a 4-oz. portion of the warm tomatillo and avocado salsa over the salmon filet, top with jumbo lump crab meat, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
Cilantro & Lime Rice
1 cup extra-long grain rice or basmati rice 2 cups water 3 tsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped 1/2 lime, juice of In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp. oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 20 minutes. Shut off the flame and keep covered for an additional 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.
Roasted Corn Salsa
2 cups roasted sweet yellow corn kernels, cut off the cob, from 3 cobs Note: A quick way to roast sweet corn is to deep-fry the cobs for about 3 minutes 2 small vine-ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced 1/2 cup red onion, diced 1 scallion, diced 1 poblano, diced (Remove seeds for mild.) 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped 1 fresh lime, juice of kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste Combine all the ingredients in a fry pan over medium heat, sauté with olive oil until heated through and keep warm for service.
THE SPORTING LIFE
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