Top Chef Season 10 - Poached Salmon Stew with Fennel, Leek, Hungarian Paprika & Sweet Pepper Flakes - Recipe

Recipes

Chef: Lizzie Binder

Serves: 4

Salmon: One 1.5-pound salmon filet, skin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
3 leeks, white and light-green parts only
2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into wedges
2 baby carrots, peeled and sliced on bias
1 celery stalk, peeled and sliced on bias
half teaspoon Hungarian paprika, hot ground
half teaspoon Hungarian paprika, sweat ground
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweat paprika flakes
4 cups fume (recipe below)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bunch land cress, washed and picked
Fish Fume: 4 pounds heads and bones from king salmon; 4 tablespoons pure olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled, and very thinly sliced
1/2 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
12 leeks, thinly sliced
30 whole white peppercorns
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves
2 cups dry white wine

Slice leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch coins.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, leeks, carrots, fennel, and celery. Cook until vegetables soften (about 5 minutes). Add paprikas and saute to release aromas. Add fume, salt, and freshly ground black pepper and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
Turn off heat; add seasoned salmon pieces and landcress. Poach until just cooked through (about 3 minutes) and serve.

If you are preparing the fish yourself, remove the gills and the eyes. Cut the heads and bones across into 4-inch pieces. In a shallow pan filled with cold water, add the heads and bones.
Cover, and let soak (1 hour), changing the water twice.
In a large stockpot set over medium heat, add pure olive oil, onions, fennel, leeks, peppercorns, salt, parsley, and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium low, and cook until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 4 minutes.
Transfer heads and bones from water to the stockpot; discard water. Stir periodically until bones (and flesh around bones) turns from translucent to white, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and 6 cups of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Boil fumet 10 minutes, skimming off the foam as it rises to the top. Remove from heat; let rest for 10 minutes.
Strain the fume through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois, pressing firmly on the solids to extract as much of the flavorful liquid as possible. Place the fume liquid in a clean saucepan over high heat, and boil until it reduces to 4 cups.