Hey everyone! I hope you all have been staying safe. Spring is upon us and life seems to be getting back to normal. It has been a tough year for the food industry and hopefully we can all bounce back from this pandemic. As for me, things are getting better so far in 2021 as clients are feeling safer and starting to book catered events again and NYC restaurants are starting to fully open. The Caribbean cruise in which I was scheduled to be a chef on in 2020 for the Tom Joyner Foundation was also rescheduled for later this year, so things are really looking up.

At the International Sous Vide Association (ISVA), which I am the executive chef of, we have been having virtual events throughout this pandemic. That brings me to this recipe. This weekend (April 24) we are having a virtual Sea Food Showcase with some of America’s finest sous vide cooks. Follow this link to learn more about our showcases. We have some amazing sponsors for this event such as, Wulf’s Fish, Sterling Caviar, and Shucks Maine lobster. For this dish, I will be using some fantastic seafood from Wulf’s Fish. This dish was prepared using one of their most popular items, Nordic Blu Salmon. I also received some Hackleback Sturgeon Caviar which I can describe as very flavorful, yet mild. My plan was to sous vide the salmon and pair it with a yummy saffron infused risotto with spring vegetables. No need to worry if you don’t have caviar, this dish is still a winner!

For the Salmon:

2 lbs Wulf’s Fish Nordic Blu Salmon, cut into 4 fillets and brined

4 Tbs grapeseed oil

Sous vide device

2 ziplock freezer bags

For the Risotto:

2 cups arborio rice

3 Tbs unsalted butter

1 Tbs olive oil

1 shallot, diced

1 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken stock

Pinch saffron

6 asparagus stalks, blanched and sliced on the bias into ½ inch pieces

1 small yellow summer squash, ribs removed and diced small

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced

For the Dill Crème:

7 oz sour cream or crème fraiche

4 Tbs fresh dill, chopped

Juice from half a lemon

Salt & pepper, to taste

Dill sprigs, for garnish

Wulf’s Fish Hackleback Sturgeon Caviar, for garnish

In a small bowl combine the dill, creme fraiche, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking and refrigerate. Preheat your sous vide bath to 118F-122F. In a large bowl add 5 tablespoons of kosher salt and 32 oz of ice cold water and mix well. Place the salmon in the water and refrigerate for 15 minutes then remove and pat dry. This prevents the albumin, which is the white stuff, from leaching out during cooking and it also helps with seasoning.

Start the risotto by heating up the chicken stock and saffron over low heat until the saffron is infused into the broth. In a large skillet melt the butter and add the olive oil and shallots. Saute the shallots over medium heat until soft then add the rice, continue to stir until the rice is coated with the butter then add the white wine. Simmer until the wine is absorbed and begin to add the chicken stock one ladle at a time. Let it reduce before adding another. Continue this for about 30 minutes or until the rice is beginning to become tender, then add salt and pepper along with the vegetables during the last 5 minutes of cooking and mix well. Remove from the heat cover and keep warm.

Season the fish with the spice mix of your choice (don’t forget that you brined it, so go easy on the salt). Place 2 fillets in each bag and add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil in each to prevent the fish from sticking together. Place into the water bath for 20-30 minutes, then gently remove the fish from the bags and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat the remaining grapeseed oil over high heat and sear one side of each salmon filet until a crust forms, about 1 minute. Plate the risotto, and serve the fish with the seared side facing up on the risotto and top it with the dill creme, caviar, and garnish with a dill sprig.