While thinking about what to make this Valentine’s Day, two things came to mind: I wanted to create a dish that was special enough to impress but simple enough where I didn’t have to spend all day in the kitchen. I knew I wanted to pair my meal with the Bayernmoor Precoce Pinot Noir clone (my personal favorite) because of how truly sexy it is – with its floral aroma, juicy red fruit notes, and velvety finish. The following recipe is this wine’s flirty companion. Allow the two, both food and wine, to walz hand in hand across your palate and please the gazing senses. Take it from Viginia Woolf, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Dine Well Bayernmoor Friends!
- 1 lb good salmon, skin on, cut into two smaller fillets
- 1 small head of radicchio, cleaned and chopped
- 1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin
- 2 blood oranges, segmented & cores squeezed of its juice and set aside
- zest of 1/2 blood orange
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tbsp dill, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 tbsps sherry vinegar
- 4 tbsps good olive oil
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- zest of 1/2 lemon, for garnish
- 1 tbsp high heat oil
First, place your salmon on a paper towel lined plate and pat dry. Set aside. In a small bowl, wisk ricotta, dill, and a pinch of salt and pepper, together until smooth. Set aside.
Then prepare your salad. Chop and clean your radicchio, and place in a large bowl, add your sliced fennel and segmented oranges. To build the vinaigrette, wisk (or shake) together the juice and zest of the oranges, sherry vinegar, olive oil, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently dress your salad.
Pat your salmon dry once more and coat with a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper. In a pan over medium high heat, add your high heat oil. Once the oil just begins to smoke, add your salmon to the pan, skin side down, and drop the heat to medium, let sear until the sides of your salmon turn opaque, about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and let your salmon finish cooking though, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan.
To build your plate, smear on a good layer of dill ricotta, layer on your salad and add your salmon – crispy skin side up. Garnish with more dill and some lemon zest. Serve with a big glass of wine.