Recipe: Roasted Salmon

Roasted Salmon
Servings: 6

1 (2 1/2-pound) salmon fillet -- (1.1 kg)

SEASONING BLEND:
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried tarragon
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 cup paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 egg whites, beaten
olive oil, as needed
1 pint tomato butter sauce with thyme
lemon wedges -- as needed for garnish
fresh Italian parsley, as needed for garnish

Remove the pin bones and skin from the salmon fillet. Cut away the dark flesh. Cut the fillet into six tranches. Place them in a holding pan, boned side down. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine the caraway, cumin and mustard seeds and grind them in a spice grinder until nearly a powder. Add the oregano, thyme, basil, tarragon and rosemary and grind all to a powder. In a bowl, combine them with the salt, allspice, coriander, cardamom and paprika and the black, white and cayenne peppers.

Preheat the oven to 450F (230C). Place several sizzle platters in the oven.

Put the egg whites into a small, shallow hotel pan. Put the herb and spice mixture into a separate shallow pan.

Dip a piece of salmon, skinned side up, into the egg whites, coating only one side of the salmon. Immediately dredge the dipped side into the herb and spice mixture. Repeat with the remaining pieces of salmon.

Place one of the hot sizzle platters on a burner over medium neat. Brush it with a thin film of olive oil and place a few of the salmon fillets on it, coated side down. Place the fish in the oven and repeat with the remaining platters and salmon fillets.

Monitor the salmon and remove the platters when the salmon is still slightly undercooked. Invert them and place the tranches in a hotel pan or onto plates. Ladle the Tomato Butter Sauce with Thyme into the pan between the fillets or onto the plate around the fillets. Garnish with the lemon wedges and Italian parsley, or as desired, and serve.

Source: Senior Instructor Scott Doughty