Blackened Salmon with Everything Bagel Fritters
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 3 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 2 servings, with additional fritters
- Level: Advanced
- Total: 3 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr 15 min
- Yield: 2 servings, with additional fritters
Ingredients
Caper Powder:
Crème Fraîche:
Everything Fritters:
Salmon:
Everything Spice:
Directions
Special equipment:
a smoking gun; apple wood chips; a food dehydrator, optional; a spice grinder- For the caper powder: Dehydrate the capers overnight (about 8 hours) in a food dehydrator or in the oven on a sheet pan at 160 degrees F until completely dry like peppercorns, about 2 hours. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder.
- For the crème fraiche: Mix together the crème fraîche and salt in a mixing bowl. Spread the mixture flat, exposing as much surface area as possible. Wrap in plastic wrap. Smoke with a smoking gun using apple chips for a few minutes or until the wood has burned off. Let sit, covered in the plastic wrap, to infuse until ready to serve.
- For the everything fritters: Heat a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with 2 inches of canola oil to 330 degrees F.
- Place the cream cheese, sugar and salt in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and whip until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Add the sifted flour and baking powder and whip an additional 30 seconds on low speed. Add the eggs one at a time while the mixer is running, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the Everything Spice and mix until incorporated.
- Using a small ice cream scoop, drop Ping-Pong ball-size balls (each about 1 1/2 tablespoons) of dough into the hot oil in batches. Fry, rotating the dough occasionally, until golden brown all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil and sprinkle with salt. Continue with the remaining dough, bringing the oil back up to temperature between batches. Makes about 40 fritters.
- For the salmon: Season the salmon with salt and pepper on all sides. Mix together the activated charcoal powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, sugar, chili powder, dried oregano and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Coat the salmon in the dry rub.
- Heat a cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the grapeseed oil. Add the salmon to the pan and cook until it develops a crust on the bottom and easily pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Flip the salmon and add the butter, shaking the pan until the butter is frothy. Cook, using a spoon to baste the fish, until desired doneness, 2 1/2 to 4 more minutes. Remove the salmon to a rack.
- Add about three-quarters of the pea tendrils to the hot pan and sauté until charred, about 30 seconds. Add the juice from 1 lemon cheek and season with salt. Squeeze the other lemon cheek over the remaining pea tendrils and season with salt.
- To serve: Add dollops of smoked crème fraiche to each plate and sprinkle the dishes with caper powder. Place a salmon filet on top of each and place the pea tendrils on and around the salmon. Add 2 fritters to each plate.
Everything Spice:
- Mix together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a jar or other airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to a week.
Cook’s Note
To cut lemon cheeks, stand a lemon vertically on a cutting board. Cut down one side from top to bottom, avoiding the core and seeds, to make a “cheek” (like you would with an apple to avoid the core). Repeat with a second side (you can get 4 cheeks from 1 lemon).
