Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook - Bobby Flay [34]
4. Grill the tortillas for about 5 seconds per side, until slightly charred. Place the tortillas on a flat surface, fill the center of each with some of the fish, slaw, salsa, relish, and cilantro leaves. Serve 3 tacos per person.
CHARRED TOMATO SALSA
Makes about ¾ cup
4 plum tomatoes
4 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons honey
1. Preheat the broiler or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Broil or grill, turning a few times, until the entire surface is blackened, about 5 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Slice in half, remove the seeds, and transfer the tomatoes to the bowl of a food processor.
2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add to the tomatoes in the food processor along with the vinegar and process until smooth. Add the cilantro and honey, season with salt and pepper, and pulse a few times. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Serve at room temperature.
TOMATILLO-AVOCADO RELISH
Makes about 2½ cups
2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and diced
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the avocados, tomatillos, lime juice, oil, and cilantro in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. The relish is best made just before serving.
CEDAR-PLANKED SALMON
PINOT NOIR REDUCTION, PINOT BUTTER
This dish is a celebration of the Pacific Northwest’s Native American heritage. Native Americans were the first to cook salmon in this way, slowly roasting the dense flesh on cedar planks arranged around an open fire. (You can get the planks at a hardware store.) A light smoky essence permeates the fish as it cooks, boosting the flavor quotient of rich salmon. In addition to the salmon that run though its waters, the Pacific Northwest is known for its lush and balanced Pinot Noir wine. A reduction of the wine is the basis of a darkly fruity, savory sauce that finishes the dish.
Serves 4
Cedar-Planked Salmon
2 untreated cedar planks, each about 5 × 12 inches
Olive oil
4 (8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinot Butter
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Pinot Noir Reduction
3½ cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
6 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small Spanish onion, chopped
1¼ cups Pinot Noir or other dry red wine
5 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Submerge the cedar planks in cold water and soak for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. To make the Pinot Noir reduction, combine the stock and peppercorns in a small saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
4. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the wine, thyme, and 2 tablespoons of the honey and boil until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Add the reduced stock and boil until reduced by half again, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture into a clean saucepan and set aside.
5. Remove the planks from the water, put them on a baking sheet, and place them in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and brush the tops of the planks with olive oil.
6. Brush both sides of the salmon fillets with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place 2 fillets on each plank, leaving a few inches of space between the pieces of fish. Return the planks to the oven and cook the salmon to medium, 10 to 12 minutes.
7. While the salmon is cooking, finish the sauce. Return the saucepan to high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon honey, season