Recipe and Image by: Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood
Ingredients
Béarnaise
3 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1-1/2 sticks (6 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
1 pinch cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Garnish
2 Tablespoons (1 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
16 fresh asparagus spears, peeled at the thick part of the stem, trimmed and blanched
8 oz. shelled Alaska King Crab meat
Salt and Pepper, to taste
½ of a lemon
Salmon
4 (6 oz. each) Alaska King Salmon fillet portions, skin on
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup canola oil
Instructions
To make Béarnaise, in a heat-proof bowl (or the top of a double boiler) set over a pan of simmering water, vigorously whisk the egg yolks with the water and vinegar until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat. Slowly whisk the melted butter until thickened. Season with cayenne and salt; stir in fresh tarragon. Keep warm, covered.
To prepare the garnish, in a small sauté pan, heat half (1 tablespoon) of the butter. Add asparagus and warm through. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to a dish; hold warm.
In the same pan, melt remaining butter. When butter is hot, add crab meat and warm through (keeping the sections together). Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Remove to a dish; hold warm.
To sear the salmon, season the fish on all sides with the salt and pepper. In a 10-inch non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil. When oil is hot but not smoking, cook the salmon pieces 2 at a time, skin side down. Cook salmon until the flesh is cooked half way through and skin is crispy, approximately 4 minutes. Turn fillets over; cook additional 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining 2 fillets.
To serve, place 4 pieces of asparagus on the center of each plate crisscrossed. Set the salmon on asparagus, skin side up. Divide and portion crab meat on the top of the salmon fillets. Divide and drizzle the sauce on the crab meat, salmon and asparagus.
