McCormick & Schmick's Grilled King Salmon with Corn Pudding and Sauteed Spinach

Try This Seafood Delight at Home

McCormick and Schmick?s chef Andrew Cattaneo creates a masterpiece with Salmon.

From the kitchen of Andrew Cattaneo

Ingredients

4 king salmon fillets (6 oz each) about 1-inch thick

1 bag fresh spinach, washed, trimmed

1 tbl extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 fresh lemon juice

For the red pepper broth

1 red pepper

1 white fish bones and/or head

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and chopped

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 bay leaf

1/2 bushel fresh thyme

1/2 bushel fresh parsley

5 blk peppercorns

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 cup white wine

1 gal water

2 tbl butter, cut in pieces

For the corn pudding

3 ears yellow corn, grated

6 cups whole milk

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

2 tbl kosher salt

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 lb butter, cut in 1-inch pieces

Cooking Directions

For the corn pudding

Shuck the corn and grate it with a box grater into a pan or onto a sheet of wax paper. Press hard and get all the milk out of the corn. In a large, heavy bottom pot, scald milk and add cornmeal slowly while whisking. Add fresh corn, jalapenos and red pepper. Bring to a boil to thicken. Be careful you don't burn the bottom. Finish with butter and salt.

For the broth

Char the pepper over open flame until black and crusty. Put it in a bag and let it steam. Place the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the butter into a tall stock pot and slowly bring to a slow simmer for 30 minutes. (Do not boil -- makes it cloudy and bitter!) Turn it off, let it cool a bit and strain the broth through a fine sieve.

Put 4 cups of the broth into a small sauce pan and boil for a few minutes to reduce by about 1/2. Remove the pepper from the bag, peel and seed it. Put the pepper in a blender. Add the broth, the butter, pulse until smooth. Salt to taste.

Complete the dish

Season and grill or saute the salmon fillets to just done. Most people like a little pink in the center. In a separate pan, saute the garlic in the EVOO till just a little golden. Add the spinach and wilt it down. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon juice. Place a large spoonful (about 1/2 cup) of corn pudding in the center of a plate or shallow bowl. Place the sauteed spinach over the corn pudding. Arrange the fillet of salmon on the spinach.

Spoon a few tablespoons of the broth around all.