Smoked Salmon

Smoked meats are my favorite. They have a wonderful flavor unlike any other. Whether it’s sausages, bacon, prosciutto or fish I love them all. The smoke flavor strongly reinforces that deeply rooted memory of country kitchen.  Although I grew up on the coast of Adriatic sea smoked fish was not very common. Smoked and cured pork and occasionally beef were common staple foods in winter months. Fish was consumed fresh and in season only, spring to fall. The only exception that I can remember was every December for our slava, St.Nicholas day, when my mother would customary prepare a sundried cod fish. This dish was unmistakably linked to this important family celebration. I remember it vividly and was quite amused with how wood like piece of fish turns into tasty salad and soup. My first blog post was on dried cod dish.

I never had a salmon until I came to Canada. Atlantic salmon being one of Canadian staples quickly became my favorite. It is a healthy protein rich oily fish and is the best when barbecued, smoked or lightly pan fried.

Smoked salmon recipe I present today is a wonderful dish that lends itself perfectly with either pasta or fennel salad. Smoky aroma, crispy garlic and spice seasoning flavors work really well together. It is easy and quick to make providing you have a stove top smoker. If you don’t, get one and you will not regret it. It opens home kitchen to variety of culinary options.

The recipe has been adapted from chef Greg Easter and his “CookinginRussia” channel.

Print Recipe

Smoked Salmon with Crispy Garlic

Delicious smoked salmon recipe.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

North American

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Seasoning mix

• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 tsp Fennel seeds
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp MSG optional

Main Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30 g red hot pepper chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 14 g unsalted butter
• 300 g Salmon fillet
• 1 - 1 1/2 tsp cherry wood chips for stove top smoker

Course Main Dish Cuisine North American Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Servings servings Ingredients Seasoning mix 2 tsp Cumin seeds 2 tsp Fennel seeds 2 tsp sesame seeds 3/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp MSG optional Main Ingredients 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 g red hot pepper chopped 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped 14 g unsalted butter 300 g Salmon fillet 1 - 1 1/2 tsp cherry wood chips for stove top smoker

Instructions

Seasoning Mix

1. Heat up cast iron pan on high heat to a smoking hot, about 250 ºC (480 ºF).
2. Toast cumin seeds for about 15 seconds, keep shaking the pan in a circular motion to avoid burning. Let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Toast fennel seeds for about 10 seconds, keep the pan shaking to avoid burning. Let cool for 5 minutes.
4. In a coffee grinder process: toasted cumin seeds, toasted fennel seeds, sesame seeds and salt.
5. This amount of seasoning mix is sufficient for 2 dishes.

Procedure

1. Chop garlic cloves and wait at least 5 minutes before cooking it. This step will activate enzymes that will allow formation of allicin, compound credited for pronounced garlic flavor and many health benefits.
2. In a medium size pan over medium low heat ( 3 out of 10) add olive oil and chopped red hot pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until peppers starts changing color.
3. Add butter and chopped garlic, cook for another 4-5 minutes until garlic crisps up.

   
4. Run it through a sieve to separate flavored oily mixture and crisped garlic with hot peepers.

   
5. Brush with oily mixture two 150g salmon fillets, on both sides. Use 1/2 of seasoning mix to coat only top and sides of each fillet.

   
6. Assemble stove top smoker and put the salmon fillets on the grid. Put the heat on high and leave lid slightly open. When smoke starts coming out close the lid completely and reduce the heat to medium high (6 out of 10). After 16 minutes remove the stove top smoker from the heat, keep the lid closed for another 3 minutes.

   
7. Carefully remove salmon fillets and plate over pasta or fennel salad. Garnish with crisped garlic and hot peppers.

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