Cooking with Alaska Wild Seafood

There are dozens of recipes to go with our wild Alaskan smoked, fresh canned and flash-frozen fresh salmon and halibut. Entrees, dips, salads and pasta dishes are included in the Alaskan Salmon Recipes and Alaskan Halibut Recipes cookbooks. Makes a great gift or keep them for your own kitchen.

Lemon Garlic Alaska Salmon
2 Tbsp. butter*
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. lemon pepper
2 (4 to 6 oz. each) Alaska salmon fillets, thawed if necessary
Lemon wedges

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic. Season salmon fillets
on both sides with lemon pepper. Place fillets in pan and cook for 10 minutes per inch
of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.
Flip fillets halfway through cooking to brown on both sides. Sprinkle with lemon juice
before serving. Makes 2 servings. *If desired, olive oil may be substituted for butter.

Classic Smoked Salmon Appetizer
8 oz. Alaska smoked salmon
Herbed cream cheese*
12 slices cocktail-size rye or pumpernickel bread**
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 Tbsp. capers
Lemon slices
Fresh dill sprigs

Arrange smoked salmon, small bowl of Herbed Cream Cheese and bread on medium
-sized serving platter. Garnish with red onion, capers, lemon slices and dill.
Makes 6 servings.
* Herbed cream cheese Beat together until smooth 8 ounces softened cream cheese,
2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon each lemon juice and dill weed, and 4-5 drops bottled
hot pepper sauce.
** Six split mini-sized bagels can be substituted

Pan-Seared Alaska Salmon with Orange Vinaigrette
4 Alaska salmon fillets (6-8 oz. each), thawed if necessary
1 cup orange juice
1-1/2 Tbsp. red onion, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. Honey-Dijon mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
4 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Orange Vinaigrette
Cook orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it is reduced to
the consistency of syrup (makes about 1/4 cup); let cool slightly. Place onion, lime
juice, mustard and chili powder in a blender; add cooled syrup. Blend 30 seconds.
Then, with blender running, slowly drizzle in the salad dressing so that the mixture emulsifies.

Pan-Seared Salmon
Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly season the Alaska salmon fillets or steaks with salt
and pepper. Heat and oven-proof saute pan for 2 minutes,then add 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
Sear the salmon fillets/steaks on one side for 2-3 minutes. Turn salmon
fillets/steaks over and place the entire pan into the oven. Bake 4-8 minutes, or until
fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
To serve, make a 1 oz. pool of the orange vinaigrette sauce in the center of 4 plates.
Top with a salmon fillet and garnish with 1 tsp. of chopped cilantro.
Makes 4 servings.

Sautéed Halibut Fillet with Coconut-Curry Sauce and Papaya Salsa 

4 4-ounce skinless halibut fillets

Papaya Salsa
1 ripe papaya, peeled and diced
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves (save stems for curry sauce)
1 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
4 kumquats, chopped coarsely
2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 tsp. chopped ginger

Curry Sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. each of minced shallot, garlic and ginger
10 1-inch pieces of cilantro stem
1 tbsp. curry powder or paste
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbsp. lime juice

To make salsa, combine all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate while
making the sauce and cooking the halibut. For curry sauce, cook shallot, ginger
and garlic in sesame oil over medium heat until it begins to sizzle. Add cilantro
stems and curry powder, stirring well. Stir in vinegar and coconut milk.
Allow sauce to simmer until reduced slightly in volume and thickened. Remove
sauce from heat and strain through a fine strainer, discarding solids. Return sauce
to pan, season with salt and pepper and add lime juice. Keep warm while cooking
the fish. To cook halibut, season with salt and pepper. Sauté fish in 1 tablespoon
vegetable oil, turning once, until cooked through. To serve, place 1 tablespoon curry
sauce on plate, place halibut on sauce and cascade salsa over top.
Serves four.

Smoked Salmon Pasta
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups each half-&-half and whipping cream
4 oz. smoked salmon
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp. chives
Salt & ground white pepper to taste
8 oz. linguine or fettuccine*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. minced parsley

Sauté garlic in butter about 5 minutes or until softened. Add half-&-half and whipping
cream; heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, about 45 minutes or until thickened and
reduced to 2-1/2 cups liquid. Add smoked salmon, tomatoes and chives; heat thoroughly
over low heat about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook linguine in boiling water
about 10 minutes or until barely tender; drain. Fold hot pasta into cream sauce; place on
serving platter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Makes 4 servings.
*One pound fresh linguine or fettuccine noodles can be substituted.

Spicy Denali Alaska Halibut
1 Tbsp. paprika
1-1/2 tsp. each dried oregano and dried thyme
1 tsp. each onion powder and garlic powder
1 tsp. each black pepper and salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1-1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 (6 oz. each) Alaska halibut steaks, thawed if necessary

Mix together all dry-seasoning ingredients until well combined. Place Alaska halibut
steaks on a non-stick or spray-coated baking sheet or broiler pan. Brush butter onto
top surface of halibut. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon seasoning mixture over the surface of each
halibut steak. Broil 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until
fish flakes when tested with a fork. Store remaining seasoning mixture in airtight container
for future use. Brush fillets with butter before sprinkling with spices & broil.
Makes 4 servings.
Asparagus
Steam or boil 12 oz. fresh asparagus until tender, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 tablespoon
melted butter over asparagus and serve.
Carrots
Clean and shred 3 medium carrots. Microwave on HIGH setting 90 seconds.
Season with salt & pepper, toss to blend.

Smoked Salmon Spread
1/4 pound room temperature cream cheese
1 Tbsp. strained fresh lemon juice
1/2 tdp. strained prepared horseradish
1 tsp. rinsed, very finely minced onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 smoked salmon
2 tbsp. parsley flakes

Combine ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth and well-blended.
Cover and child for 8-9 hours. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Makes 8 servings.

Smoked Salmon Nicoise
6 tomatoes
6 small artichokes
1 cucumber
1 green pepper
4 small fresh onions
3 boiled eggs
8 oz. smoked salmon cut in 1-inch strips
4 oz. black Nice olives
1 sprig of basil
1 clove of garlic
6 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt, pepper, vinegar

Make a sauce with the olive oil, chopped basil, salt, pepper and a few drops of vinegar,
and put into the refrigerator to get good and cold. Quarter the tomatoes (optionally, salt
them lightly before putting them in). Quarter or slice the eggs. Peel the cucumber and
cut it into thin slices. Slice the green pepper, the onions and the artichokes into thin rings.
Chop the garlic in half and rub the two pieces liberally on the inside of a large salad bowl.
Put the ingredients into the bowl, with the tomatoes going in last, and the salmon strips
on top. Instead of mixing the ingredients, they are usually arranged for color and
appearance. Add the cold olive-oil sauce and serve.

Fresh Pink Salmon Salad
2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. paprika, Spanish very red
2 tsp. flour
2 6.5 oz. cans of wild Alaska pink salmon
3 fl. oz. salmon broth, drained from cans
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 hard-boiled egg, 1 diced egg
2 oz. tofu, diced (optional)
1/2 cup mayonnaise, chilled

Open the cans and pour entire contents into a colander set over a pot; allow to drain for
5 minutes. Do not press. On the average, you will get 6 fl. oz. of salmon broth and about
13 oz. of salmon. The flavorful broth has much of the Omega 3 salmon oils that a number
of research papers have shown to have important nutritional qualities.
The broth also has an excellent flavor.

Melt the butter (margarine or oil may be used instead) and stir in the paprika. Cook gently
for a minute or two to extract the red color, and add the flour to make a red roux. Add the
salmon broth, set the heat on high, whisk or stir with wooden spoon, and bring to a full boil,
reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar (optional)and pepper.

Place the diced stale bread into a large bowl and pour the salmon veloute you have just
made over them, and stir well to moisten the crumbs completely. They will become a rich
salmon color. (You can skip this step and just pour the broth over the bread cubes, and let
it soak up. Almost as good.) Add diced hard-cooked eggs and/or tofu and stir to mix them
in well. Add diced celery and onion, lemon juice, and mix.

Add the salmon and mix well, but do not overmix. Try to retain some of the salmon flakes
intact for a better texture. Add just enough cold mayonnaise to cohere the ingredients.
Chill and serve.

Steamed Halibut with Tomatillo, Orange and Cilantro Sauce
8 tomatillos, papery husks removed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper
1 small jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
4 5-ounce halibut fillets

In small saucepan, place first six ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat
for 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool slightly. In food processor bowl, pulse mixture three
times, just enough to break up the tomatillos. Be careful not to puree the mixture.
Season halibut with salt and pepper. Place fillets in a steamer over simmering water and
cover. Steam for 8 to 10 minutes until fish is cooked through.
Place steaks on plate and cascade sauce over top of steamed fish.
Makes four servings.

Smoked Salmon Burgers
16 oz. pouch wild Alaska smoked salmon
1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
1/2 cup crushed cornflakes
2 Tbsp.. mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 egg
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. margarine

Mix all ingredients except margarine until combined. Shape into 4 burgers.
(They will be crumbly) Coat the bottom of a nonstick skillet with margarine. Preheat
a burner to medium-high. Cook salmon patties for 7 to 8 minutes, until they have a
brown crust. Carefully flip the burgers. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another
5 to 6 minutes until that side has a brown crust.
Serve on a bun with a little catsup or your favorite sauce.
Serves 4.

Smoked Salmon Mousse
Serve as an appetizer with crusty bread or on toasted bagels.
1 lb. cream cheese, at room temperature

1 Tbsp. minced shallots
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. grated horseradish
1 Tbsp. fresh chives (optional)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 lb. smoked salmon, cut into chunks
Additional chives and lemon slices as a garnish

Mix all ingredients except smoked salmon in electric mixer until well blended,
scraping down sides periodically. Add smoked salmon and mix just until salmon is
evenly distributed. Transfer to serving bowl, cover and chill for three or four hours.
Before serving, garnish with extra chives and lemon slices.
Makes two pounds.