Creamy dill salmon and pomegrante autumn salad

RECIPES: Creamy dill salmon and pomegrante autumn salad. Salmon filet with creamy dill sauce, asparagus, rice and seasonal vegetables. Staff photo/IAN KELSO

Autumn Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Mixed Greens
• 1 cup Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup Walnut, toasted
• 1/4 Cup Dried Cherries, rehydrated in hot water
• 1 Whole Cucumbers, English, sliced with a mandolin

Pomegranate Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Canola Oil
• 1/4 Cup Pomegranate Vinegar
• 2 - 3 tablespoons Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Thyme

Instructions:

1. To make dressing whisk oil, vinegar, sugar and thyme together. Taste for desired sweetness and if you like it sweeter, add another tablespoon of sugar.

2. To make the cucumber sash, using the mandolin, slice 8 lengths of the cucumber. Wrap 2 lengths together to create a round circular sash on the plate.

3. To make salad, toss greens with walnuts, half of the rehydrated cherries and the dressing.

4. Fill inside of sash with greens. Top with crumbled goat cheese and top with remaining cherries.

Cooks Note: For snow-like consistency with the goat cheese, place in freezer 1 hour before crumbling and then use a fine grater for a snowy appearance.

Serves: 4

Salmon Filet with Creamy Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 ounce salmon filets
• 1/4 Cup chicken stock
• 1/4 Cup white wine
• 1/2 Cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Place salmon on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in oven for 10 - 12 minutes or until desired doneness.

3. To make sauce place wine and chicken stock in pot on top of stove. Heat on high until reduced by half. Add whipping cream and reduce by half. Add chopped dill and pour on top of salmon.

Cooks Note: Serve with your favourite rice or pasta and vegetables.

Serves: 4

White Chocolate Creme Brulee

Ingredients:

• 4 Egg Yolk
• 1/3 Cup Sugar
• 2 Cups Whipping Cream
• 4 Ounces White Chocolate
• 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar, demerrera

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of the sugar until smooth.

3. In a 2 quart saucepan, bring the whipping cream to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring continuously. Add the white chocolate to the cream. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk the mixture until the white chocolate has melted. Gradually add to the egg yolk mixture, whisking continuously until smooth. Add the vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into four ramekins or custard cups.

4. Place the ramekins in a 9 x 13" baking pan. Pour water into the pan (do not allow any water to fall into the ramekins) until the ramekins are sitting in 1 - 1 1/2" of water. Bake 45 minutes, or until set. Gently jiggle the ramekins to determine whether to the creme brulee is done; the centres should wiggle just slightly. Remove from the oven and cool.

5. Sprinkle with turbinado or demerra sugar and using a kitchen torch, melt the sugar on top until melted but do not burn. Colour should be golden brown.

Cooks Note: Make sure to use a good quality white chocolate such as Ghirardelli, Valrona or Callebaut chocolate. Do NOT use bakers chocolate.

Serves: 4