Seasonal Ingredient Sunday: Upstate New York Coho Salmon

Start out the first week of the new year with this nourishing and flavorful fresh fish dish! It offers three ways to prepare celeriac, or celery root, which is a root vegetable harvested in the late fall that stores well through the winter. Orlando Rodriguez, the talented chef at Graft Wine + Cider Bar in Watkins Glen, generously provided this recipe. At Graft, Rodriguez regularly adapts his menu for the region’s changing seasonal produce and sources many ingredients from Ever Green Farm in Rock Stream. Graft will reopen on January 5th according to its website and offers meals for curbside pickup.

(Servings: 2)

INGREDIENTS

1 each (for each person) celeriac (celery root)

1 bunch Tuscan kale, take steams out and wash kale

2 each local upstate Coho Salmon
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 cup sugar
Virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

PREPARATION:

Cut off the outside of the celeriac until you get to the white of the celeriac. Discard the outer layer.
Dice 1 large cup of the celery root, save all trim.
Next julienne 1 cup of the celeriac, save all the trim.

Truffled Celeriac Puree

Take all the trim and cover with 2 inches of water and simmer till tender. Drain the water, place the celery root in the blender.

Add 1 tablespoon of truffle oil, season with salt and pepper, set aside for plating.

Roasted Celeriac
Lightly oil the celeriac. Sprinkle with cumin, truffle oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in 350-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Pickled Celeriac
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorn
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 cup sugar
Bring all ingredients to a boil then pour over the julienne celery root. Let sit overnight in refrigerator.

Kale
Cook kale in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a 1/4 cup of water. Cook for about 5 minutes till Kale is tender. Season with salt, pepper and finish with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

Coho Salmon
Place a sauté pan on medium-high heat with oil, covering just the bottom of the pan. Let the oil lightly smoke. Season both sides of the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Place skin-side down in the pan and sear the skin till crispy. Will take about 4 minutes then flip fish and cook for another 2 minutes.

Plating
Place truffled celeriac purée on the bottom of the plate. Then place kale on top of purée. Next put salmon on top and place roasted celeriac on the side and pickled celeriac on top of the salmon and serve.