Smoked Salmon

Marinated Fennel, Fennel Purée, Dill-Dijon Mustard, Dill Oil, Caraway, Oestra Caviar, Pumpernickel Loaf

Chef Aaron Bludorn of Café Boulud | New York
Yield: 64 servings

---

Adapted by StarChefs  |  FEbruary 2017

INGREDIENTS

Smoked Ōra King Salmon:
One 12- to 14-pound Ōra King salmon
1 kilogram kosher salt
1.6 kilograms sugar
250 milliliters vodka
200 grams finely chopped basil
200 grams finely chopped dill
200 grams finely chopped tarragon
Zest of 3 lemons
150 grams dry juniper berries
150 grams pink pepercorns
150 grams fennel seed
150 grams coriander seed

Fennel Purée:
100 grams butter
2 kilograma fennel bulbs, sliced
500 milliliters milk
500 milliliters cream
Salt

Dill Dijon Mustard:
100 grams finely chopped dill
200 grams Dijon mustard

Dill Oil:
1 kilogram dill, blanched
300 milliliters canola oil

Honey-Dijon Purée:
400 grams honey
200 grams Dijon mustard
100 grams canola oil
2 sheets gelatin, bloomed

Marinated Fennel:
Sliced fennel
Olive oil
Lemon zest
Bay leaf
Thyme sprigs

To Assemble and Serve
Pumpernickel loaf, sliced ⅛-inch thick and cut into thin strips
100 grams coriander seeds
100 grams fennel seeds
100 grams caraway seeds
100 grams nigella seeds
100 grams yellow mustard seeds
100 grams poppy seeds
Pickled white pearl onions
Oestra caviar

METHOD

For the Ōmoked Ora King Salmon:
Fillet and skin salmon; lay out in a nonreactive container. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pack salmon in salt mixture, cover, and cure in refrigerator for 8 hours. Rinse cure from salmon and pat fish dry. Transfer cured salmon to a sheet tray lined with a rack. Let dry in refrigerator for 12 hours.  Cut salmon into 3-ounce portions. Prepare and heat a smoker with applewood. Hot smoke salmon for 30 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 125ºF; cool in refrigerator.

For the Fennel Purée:
In small rondeau, heat butter and sweat fennel until tender, seasoning lightly with salt. Add cream and milk and simmer 30 minutes; drain. Transfer fennel to a blender and purée. Season with salt and adjust consistency with water, if necessary. Strain through a chinois into a squeeze bottle. 

For the Dill Dijon Mustard:
In a small bowl, combine dill and Dijon.

For the Dill Oil:
In a blender, combine blanched dill and oil. Blend until just slightly warm. Strain through a chinois. 

For the Honey-Dijon Purée:
In a large pot over medium heat, combine honey, Dijon, and canola oil. When hot, add gelatin, whisking to dissolve. Cool down over ice, whisking to keep emulsion. Transfer to a siphon, charge twice, and refrigerate.

For the Marinated Fennel:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch fennel but do not shock. While hot, season fennel with the remaining ingredients; let cool. 

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat oven to 300ºF. In separate pans, toast spices, cool to room temperature, and lightly crush. Combine spices and set aside. Lay pumpernickel strips in a baguette mold; bake until crisp. Slice 1 portion of Smoked Ōra King Salmon in half. Brush 1 side with Dill Dijon Mustard and dip that side into the spice mixture; place on a serving plate. Arrange 2 pieces Marinated Fennel and 2 pickled pearl onions next to salmon. Squeeze dots of Fennel Purée on the side of the salmon not covered with seeds, and place pumpernickel strip on top. Finish salmon with a quenelle of caviar. On plate, drop and drag Fennel Purée; drop dots of Dill Oil inside swoosh. Add a dollop of Honey-Dijon purée. 

---