Chef Michael Salmon - Join me in my Kitchen
I have been cooking my Thanksgiving turkeys “Sous Vide” for over 10 years now, and I’ll never go back to the traditional roasting method. The turkey comes out moist and tender GUARANTEED! No over-cooked, dried out breast. Make the brine days before the holiday to ease your last minute prep and this method frees up your oven and stovetop for other items. As an extra bonus, there is no roasting pan to scrub at the end of the meal. Happy Thanksgiving!
Fava, or Broad beans are a favorite Spring vegetable in Italy. I harvest them every spring at the villa we rent in Tuscany and feature them in this dish. Frozen fava beans also work well when fresh ones are not available and you can always substitute fresh or frozen peas in this recipe. It takes about 2 pounds of fresh fava beans to yield 1 cup of shelled beans, so be prepared for some serious shelling.
Duck Breast is a meat that is often prepared poorly, and quality preparation can be subjective. Personally, I am not a fan of duck breast that is on the rare side. I prefer my duck breast to be cooked to medium-rare, and I think that many people who order duck in a restaurant (maybe for the first, and only time) are turned off by this. On the other hand, over cooked duck breast is equally disappointing. To reach the proper point of doneness, I like to cook duck breast slowly and periodically check it’s internal temperature until it reaches 130-degrees F.
I created this unusual walnut crusted cod dish for our Foodie trips to the Dordogne region of France with it’s abundance of local walnut trees. Elevating the “SBP” (standard-breading-procedure) by adding chopped walnuts to the breadcrumb coating is an easy modification. Any nut will work from pecans and macadamia nuts to pistachios and hazelnuts. Other “additions” I have used over the years include plantain chips, fresh herbs, grated Parmesan cheese and Terra Vegetable Chips.
”Spiedini” in Italian means skewered. Our favorite butcher shop in Tuscany (Macelleria Belli) makes a very special Spiedini with chunks of pork, ground pork, turkey and Italian sausage pressed in a special slotted box, and cut into perfectly squared off skewers. These slotted spiedini (skewer, kabob, brochette) boxes are available online so you can replicate ”Belli’s” Spiedini at home.
Cooking “en Papilotte” is an easy and nutritious way to prepare fish, seafood and vegetables. If your looking for nutritious, you may want to omit the optional beurre blanc from the recipe. The French translation for “en Papilotte” is “in paper” and refers to the parchment pouch that encases the vegetables and fish. The pouch is baked in a hot oven and the contents steam in their own moisture, creating a tender and flavorful dish that is hard to beat. Clean up is a breeze.
Hanger steak is a very flavorful and tender cut of beef and is very reasonably priced. It comes from the belly of the cow and is similar in texture and flavor to a flank steak. Rub the steak with ground rosemary steak rub and smoke with hickory or mesquite chips for about 15 minutes. I like to finish my hanger steak on a hot grill to sear the outside with a little charred texture and flavor.
Maine scallops are amazing, especially when they are seared with a nice caramelized crust. I serve them with a cream sauce made from freshly picked Spring peas with slices of smoked salmon.
Pappardelle is one of my favorite pastas. The thick, wide noodles provide a hearty bite of pasta that can stand up to any sauce. Truffles are an elegant and rewarding addition to this dish and quite necessary to be authentic, however, they are quite costly, hard to find, and can be omitted from the recipe.
Sous Vide is a great way to cook items that require long cooking times like roasts and tougher cuts. This recipe was originally developed as a way to use the tougher male rooster by braising it for an extended period in red wine.
Join me in my kitchen as I prepare recipes from my two cookbooks, European foodie trips and explore new inspirations.
