Roasted Salmon with Black Pepper and Ginger on Celery Root Puree
Wolfgang Puck "Adventures in the Kitchen"
Ingredients
Salmon
  • 4 salmon fillets {6-7 oz each}
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbs unsalted butter melted
  • 1½ Tbs black peppercorns , crushed
  • 1½ Tbs fresh ginger chopped and peeled
Celery Root Puree
  • 1½ pounds celery root peeled, trimmed and cubed
  • 1 baking potato peeled and cubed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp fresh ground white pepper
Sauce
  • 6 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 3 shallots chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 Italian plum tomato seeded and chopped
  • 2 cups wine
  • 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • olive oil for coating baking sheet
Instructions
SALMON
  1. Season the salmon fillets lightly with salt, brush the tops with a little melted butter and immediately sprinkle evenly with the crushed pepper and chopped ginger. Drizzle the remaining butter over the fillets; if you wait too long, the butter will harden and the mixture won't stick. Cover the salmon and refrigerate until needed.
CELERY ROOT PUREE
  1. Place the celery root and potato in medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Season with salt and cook until soft, 15-20 minutes.
  2. Drain the water and return the celery root and potato to the pan. Pour in the cream and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until most of the cream has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Puree the celery root and potato and any liquid in a food mill or food processor, return to the pan and keep warm over simmering water until serving time.
SAUCE
  1. In a small sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter until foaming. Over medium heat, sauté the shallots and garlic until the shallots are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato and cook for 1 or 2 minutes longer. Pour in the wine and vinegar, turn up the heat a little and reduce until ½ cup remains. Pour in the water and reduce by half. Puree the sauce in a blender, or use an immersion blender. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and season to taste with salt and pepper; keep warm.
  2. Preheat the oven to 500º
  3. Brush some olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the salmon fillets on the sheet. Roast until medium, about 10 minutes; the salmon should be cooked on the outside, but still slightly underdone inside.
  4. Spoon the celery root puree in the center of 4 warmed dinner plates, set a salmon fillet on top and spoon sauce over top. Serve immediately.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD:
The salmon can be seasoned, covered and refrigerated up to 3 hours before roasting.
Both the sauce and pureé can be made the day before, refrigerated then gently heated before serving. {Heat puree in a pan set over simmering water so that it doesn't dry out or brown while reheating.}
Recipe by Raisin & Fig at https://www.raisinandfig.com/roasted-salmon-with-black-pepper-and-ginger-on-celery-root-puree/