Prize salmon - salmon cooking contest

Sunset, August, 1996 by Linda Lau Anusasanan

3. In the same pan, melt butter over medium-high heat; add shallot and cook, stirring often, until just golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid evaporates (watch carefully), about 5 minutes. Add berry puree and cook, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add half the gastrique to pan. (Add more to taste, depending on sweetness of berries.) Add salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

4. With tweezers, pull out and discard any bones in salmon. Rinse fish; pat dry. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix thyme and cloves; spread on a large plate. Set fillets on thyme mixture; let stand a few minutes. Turn over; repeat to coat all sides.

5. Add oil to a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat. When pan is hot, cook fish until lightly brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side; transfer to oven in same pan if handle is ovenproof (or transfer fillets to a baking pan). Bake fish in a 375 [degrees] oven until fish is barely opaque in thickest part (cut to test), 4 to 6 minutes.

6. While salmon cooks, add whole blackberries to sauce; over medium heat cook gently just until hot, about 3 minutes.

7. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of sauce onto each of 4 heated plates; place a fillet on top. Place whole berries on top of and around fillet. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Per serving: 478 cal., 40% (189 cal.) from fat; 46 g protein; 21 g fat (3.8 g sat.); 24 g carbo.; 117 mg sodium; 129 mg chol.

THIRD PLACE

Mustard-crusted Salmon

Prep and cook time: About 25 minutes

Notes: Leslie Tiano serves a light pasta or rice with this delicious, quick entree.

Makes: 4 or 5 servings

4 to 5 pieces (about 1/2 lb. each) salmon fillet 1/4 cup finely minced garlic 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 3/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard 1/2 cup dry white wine Lemon wedges

1. Rinse fish; pat dry. Place pieces, skin down, on an oiled broiler pan.

2. In 6- to 8-inch frying pan, stir garlic in butter over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Spoon butter from garlic and drizzle over salmon fillets; reserve garlic in pan.

3. Broil salmon 2 to 3 inches from heat for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, mix mustard and wine with sauteed garlic.

4. Remove pan from oven. Spoon mustard mixture evenly over fillets. Return to oven; broil until crust is golden brown and fish is barely opaque in thickest part (cut to test), 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve with lemon wedges.

Per serving: 447 cal., 42% (189 cal.) from fat; 46 g protein; 21 g fat (6.5 g sat.); 2.8 g carbo.; 1,037 mg sodium; 143 mg chol.

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Sweet Heat Salmon

Prep and cook time: About 45 minutes

Notes: Stephanie Z. varies this recipe by using either salmon fillets or steaks, and by broiling or barbecuing. She serves the salmon with jalapeno muffins and a salad of endive, hearts of palm, and grapefruit.

Makes: 6 servings

1 cup mesquite wood chips

1 1/4 pounds peeled and cored fresh pineapple

1/2 to 2 fresh jalapeno chilies (1/2 to 1 1/2 oz.)

5 fresh tomatillos (about 5 oz. total), husked and coarsely chopped