Saumon à l’unilatéral (Salmon Cooked on Salt)From Gourmet March 2001Serves 4Ingredients:
- 2 cups coarse sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 (1 ¼ lb) center cut piece of salmon fillet, skin on
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:Spread salt evenly in a dry 10-inch heavy skilled (cast iron is preferable) and heat over moderately high heat until salt is hot too touch and just beginning to smoke (about 4 minutes).
Meanwhile, pat salmon dry and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Place skin side down and cook covered until almost cooked through (about 8-12 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for another 1-2 minutes, until salmon is completely cooked through.
Slide metal spatula between salmon skin and flesh; if it is cooked through, the skin should come off easily. Discard skin (it will be too salty to eat) and serve.
Serving suggestions:I served this with cucumber salad (cucumbers, salt, a splash of vinegar, a freshly squeezed lemon wedge, and fresh dill, all to taste), and rice that was flavored with traditional Indian spices of curry and garam masala. I cooked the rice according to the package and then melted butter and a couple of teaspoons of each spice together over low heat, and then mixed it into the rice. The flavors all complimented each other really nicely.
