Salmon With Choucroute

Submitted by Bone Man

"I acquired this recipe about 15 years ago from a member of our local wine club who was recommending this unique entree to be served with Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc wine (California), the original recipe having come from Bayona (Restaurant) in the French Quarter of New Orleans. This is quite an elegant dish but is really not difficult to prepare – just make sure that you have everything portioned out and ready to use in advance and the cooking will go just fine. The dish serves four (I recommend some nice Basmati rice on the side and possibly some brussel sprouts steamed in lemon butter or, some fresh asparagus prepared in the same manner), but honestly, I can usually eat two salmon fillets myself, (I’m a big guy). This is one of those “special dinners” that you could serve to your spouse on an anniversary, etc., AS LONG AS S/HE LIKES SAUERKRAUT! It's amazing as to how nicely the salmon and the sauerkraut complement one another in this dish. I hope you enjoy the recipe and have fun making it."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, diced fine
• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
• 22 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed in cold water and drained
• 1 1⁄2 cups dry white wine, divided (e.g., pinot grigio, chablis, etc.)
• 1⁄2 cup chicken stock or 1/2 cup fish stock
• 1⁄4 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon crushed pine nuts
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme leave
• 1 bay leaf
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
• 1 teaspoon salted butter
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
2. In a non-stick skillet, saute the julienned carrot and onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until the onion just begins to get tender.
3. Stir in the sauerkraut, 1/2 cup of the wine, the chicken stock (or fish stock, if using that), the 1 teaspoon of salted butter, juniper berries, thyme, bay leaf and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Pour this blend into a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
4. Using the same skillet, add the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil and sear the salmon fillets over medium-high heat until they are lightly browned -- sear the second side for 30 seconds and then transfer them to the sauerkraut blend in the casserole dish. Bake this in the oven for five minutes.
5. While the dish is baking, using the same skillet, (drained of any oil), add the remaining wine and vinegar and reduce over medium-high heat to 1/4 of its original volume, then add the unsalted butter, piece by piece, whisking until the sauce is creamy, then remove from the heat.
6. Plate up the Salmon Choucroute from the casserole dish on to 4 individual plates and then drizzle the sauce over each one.