Salmon with Cara Orange

With Jeff Cala

Serving a typical seafood dish with a California style orange relish provides at least a hint of better weather to come during the cold months of a New England winter. The salmon is encrusted with a special porcini mushroom flour mixture, and the dish is completed with a simple serving of steamed white asparagus. There are many good ideas that you can take from this somewhat complex dish.

Ingredients

For Relish:
2 Cara Cara oranges (or a sweet, fleshy orange substitute)
1 watermelon radish
1 medium size Poblano chili
¼ small Habanero chili pepper
¼ cup fresh mint
½ cup juice mixture (see below)
1 tablespoon Agave
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ pound piece of salmon, at least ½ inch thick

For Yams:
2 pounds yams, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon Chipolte powder

For Asparagus:
8 stalks of asparagus
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Juice Mixture:
1 cup fresh squeezed Cara Cara orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon ginger juice

Instructions

For Relish:
1. Chop oranges, radishes, chilis and mint and combine in mixing bowl.
2. Add juice mixture, agave, sugar, and sesame oil.
3. Mix well, allowing mixture to set for at least ½ hour.

For Yams:
1. Peel, cut and quarter yams and place in bowl.
2. Brush yams with cider vinegar and honey.
3. Combine nutmeg and Chipolte powder and sprinkle over yams.
4. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for ½ hour.

For Salmon:
1. Preheat small frying pan with oil.
2. Lightly salt and pepper salmon filet on one side.
3. Place salmon filet salted side down into the Chipolte flour mixture, covering one side.
4. Place salmon flour side down into frying pan. Cook for 1 ½ minutes and turn to cook for 1 ½ minutes on other side.

For Asparagus:
1. Place asparagus in steaming pan and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Remove asparagus and salt and pepper to taste.

Plate all ingredients with yams on bottom, asparagus next, salmon and top with relish.

Co-owner and Executive Chef Jeff Cala

Latitude 43 has been open for several years and has separate menus for the main restaurant, the sushi bar and the pub. The menu is seasonal and incorporates local seafood, produce and other ingredients when possible.

Cala's restaurant concepts include Cala's in Manchester, Alchemy in Gloucester, and Hale Street Tavern & Oyster Bar in Beverly Farms — all of which enjoy a local following and nearly automatic consideration when residents of any of those communities think about where they'll go to eat out, either for lunch or dinner or Sunday brunch.