Mothers deserve only the best, so for these dishes, I’ve used New Zealand King Salmon, which is some of the highest quality salmon available on the market.  I like working with New Zealand King Salmon because it has a high oil content, which adds to the savoriness of the fish and offers a higher level of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Three tips to selecting the perfect piece of Salmon:

1. Buy only what you intend to cook with-in 24 hours!  Have an idea of how much salmon you intend to cook immediately.  Refrigerate you salmon ASAP, this meat is fairly delicate and will spoil outside if neglected for an extended period of time.
2. Farm raised vs wild caught salmon
   • Wild caught salmon tends to be a bit leaner and has an overall richer, gamier flavor
   • Farm raised tends to have more oil and an overall more tender texture with a creamy flavor
3. Most importantly..  Ask to smell your fish!  The filet should smell sweet with a bit of saltiness if it is fresh, if it is stinky – toss it! Visually inspect your fish, flesh should be firm and together.  Feathering of the flesh and slimy skin signals DANGER!
   • Color varies depending on the particular variety of salmon and is not as important of an indicator as quality and condition.

Brunch Menu
Grilled Salmon Salad Niciose
Very easy and pretty family style platter of grilled salmon, french green beans, boied eggs, potatoes, tomato wedges and arugula (anchovies are optional) tossed with a delicious Dijon vinaigrette.  This dish is designed to impress the most discriminating guest with very little effort.

Salmon Cake Eggs Benedict
Hold the bacon and skip the English muffin…  Mark reinvents this brunch favorite; eggs benedict with homemade salmon cakes topped with poached eggs and spicy hollandaise sauce.

Salmon Ceviche
Fresh ingredients are what make this simple, easy dish amazing. The hardest part of it is the slicing and dicing. With minimal effort and no cooking you’ll get rave reviews. Traditionally served with tortilla chips, Mark reinvents it as a main course served in avocado cups for a healthier twist on a classic appetizer.

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Ingredients:

• ¼ cup olive oil
• Juice and zest of 4 lemons
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 3 pounds fresh New Zealond King salmon filets, skin on
• 2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 pound haricots verts, stems removed
• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 8 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut in half
• 1 bunch watercress or arugula
• 1/4 pound large green olives, pitted
• 1 can anchovies (optional)

• Vinaigrette:
  • ¼ cup champagne vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup good olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the over to 500 degrees
2. For the marinade, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, mustard, garlic, 1 ½ tablespoons salt and ½ tablespoon pepper in a small bowl and set aside
3. Place the New Zealand King salmon on a sheet pan that has been covered in aluminum foil, and drizzle the marinade over the salmon.  Allow the salmon to sit for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot of water.  Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife.  Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot off the heat and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel.  Leave the potatoes to steam to 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but firm.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in thick slices and set aside.
5. Place the salmon in the oven and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until it is almost cooked through.  Remove to a plate and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.  Remove the skin and break into large pieces.
6. Blanch the haricot verts in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 ½ minutes ONLY.  Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.  Drain again and set aside
7. For the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion.  Set aside.
8. Arrange the salmon, potatoes, haricots verts, tomatoes, eggs, arugula, olives, and anchovies, if used, on a large flat platter.  Drizzle some vinaigrette over the fish and vegetables and serve the rest in a pitcher on the side.

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Ingredients:

• 1 pound broiled New Zealand King salmon
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 bunch minced Italian parsley
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (2 if you like it extra spicy)
• 1 tsp Tobasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Eggs Benedict:

• 12 eggs (4 for Hollandaise sauce)
• 6 tbsp melted butter
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
• Hot sauce
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. To make the salmon cakes, melt down the bell peppers, garlic, onion, parsley, cayenne pepper, Tobasco sauce and Worcestershire sauce with olive oil in a sautee pan over medium heat. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine cooked  salmon, eggs, bread crumbs and Dijon mustard. Once the vegetables are cool, combine with the salmon mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then form the salmon mixture into 2-ounce balls.
3. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Cook the salmon cakes in batches of three or four, flattening them in the pan with a spatula. To keep them warm, put them in a warm oven at 250 degrees.
4. To make the Hollandaise sauce, beat four eggs yolks with an electric mixer for 30 seconds and then slowly pour in warm melted butter until combined. Add lemon juice, a dash of hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. To keep the sauce warm, keep it submerged in a large bowl of warm water weighted down with a plate until it is time to serve.
5. To poach the eggs, crack one egg at a time into a small bowl. Bring water to a simmer in a medium-sized pot. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, stir the water until a “whirlpool” forms, then drop the egg into the water. Cook for 1 minute until egg is fully cooked but the yolk is runny.
6. To assemble, place two salmon cakes on a plate, place the poached egg on top of each cake, and cover with Hollandaise sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and cayenne pepper or paprika. Serve with sliced tomatoes and melon salad.

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Ingredients:

• 2 ½ tablespoons superfine white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon chili paste or sauce
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup minced red onion
• 1 ripe tomato, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
• 1 pound very fresh New Zealand King salmon filets (sushi grade preferred), thinly sliced
• 4 avocados, halved

Method:

1. In a large glass or plastic bowl, dissolve the sugar, salt, and chili paste in the lime juice.
2. Season with pepper and cumin.
3. Stir in the garlic, onion, tomato, jalapeno and cilantro.
4. Gently mix in the salmon and then cover.  Refrigerate for 4 hours.
5. To serve, drain the excess liquid from the salmon.
6. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve in avocado halves.

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