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Where there's smoke

Fresh or farmed, salmon makes a splash
From the chef | Search restaurants | Archives

January 9th, 2008 issue

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
Good, smoked fish adds both color and warm flavors to creamy pasta.
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Smoking has long been a favorite method of preserving fish and meat. Traces of burning ember seem to complement just about everything from beef to salmon, lending a gentle, acrid-sweet flavor that brings out reminders of the wild.
Salmon can be found in northern waters of both the Atlantic and Pacific. Smoked salmon once served as a staple for peoples living near the coasts and along the rivers where the migratory fish spawn. Nowadays it is often considered a delicacy, with Scottish salmon shipped to gourmands around the world.
Both chefs and diners have, likewise, conferred a similar caste system upon fresh salmon. Farmed fish make up roughly 90 percent of all prepared salmon. They tend to be fattier, and less delicate in flavor than those caught in the wild. There are subtle differences between wild king and sockeye salmon, Atlantic and Pacific varieties, and so on. Most people prefer wild fish, of course, but many hard-core “foodies” take the argument further — debating the merits of salmon pulled from the Yukon River versus the Copper River, for instance.
Generally speaking, wild salmon has firm flesh and more intricate flavors. Fish up to 3 years old present the greatest depth in taste, while those caught during the spawning period retain rich streaks of fat, further enhancing flavor and mouth feel.
And wafts of smoke make wild salmon that much more interesting.
Jiří Pustovka is chef at Klub Architektů, located at Betlemské nám. 5a, Prague 1–Old Town. Tel. 224 401 214.
The recipe is adapted from chefs Roberto Pustoffini and Romano Mangelotti of Naples.

CREAM TAGLIATELLE AU GRATIN WITH SMOKED SALMON

Ingredients:

100 grams smoked salmon, sliced into bite-sized pieces
140 grams tagliatelle, cooked
2 tablespoons pesto
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes (soaked, drained and julienned)
1/4 cup cold butter, sliced
1 and 1/3 cup cream (at least 30 percent fat)
1 cup Gouda, grated
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon oregano, chopped
1/3 cup basil, chopped
Additional basil leaves for garnish
Large pinch salt and pepper
Preparation:
Melt butter in a warm pan
Add smoked salmon slices and brown, slightly
Add pesto and herbs
Immediately pour cream into pan
Bring close to a boil then add salt, pepper and garlic
Cook until the cream begins to thicken
Add previously cooked tagliatelle
Lower heat to minimum and stir mixture gently
Ready a baking dish or form
Pour mixture into dish then sprinkle Gouda over the top
Heat in 150 C oven until the cheese begins to brown
Decorate with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano and basil leaves
 


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