Silver Salmon Martini Recipes

WORLD'S GREATEST MARTINI

Steps:

• Fill cocktail shaker with fresh ice cubes. Add about 1/2 ounce each dry and sweet vermouth. Shake enough to coat ice and pour off liquid. Add eight ounces gin to coated ice in shaker and shake vigorously. Pour into four chilled Martini glasses, garnish with pimiento-stuffed olive and serve.

POACHED ALASKA SILVER SALMON

Steps:

• Add water, wine and spices to poaching pan and place over low heat. Bring to a simmer just below boiling point. Rinse and dry fillet, then place skin down on poaching rack and lower into poaching mixture. Cover and simmer until done, approximately 20 minutes, depending on size of the fillet. To check, poke gently with sharp probe. If it passes through readily, the fillet is done.
• Remove poaching pan from heat and allow contents to cool to room temperature before removing fillet. Lift cooled fillet from pan and allow to drain a few minutes. If tiny pin bones are still present above the position of the ribs, remove with tweezers. Carefully transfer the fillet onto serving platter and peel off skin.
• In a mixing bowl, combine ranch-topping package with sour cream. Follow package directions. Spread uniformly over the salmon fillet to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4-inch. Slice cucumber into 1/8-inch thick rounds. Start at slender tail of fillet and press individual cucumber rounds gently into the dip with each vertical row slightly overlapping the previous row to create "fish scales." Continue with row after row toward the head, until fillet is completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve cold.

SALMON WITH MARTINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine vermouth, shallots, juniper berries, and peppercorns in heavy small saucepan. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 12 minutes. Add clam juice and boil until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add cream and boil until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 8 minutes. Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until melted before adding more. Strain sauce through fine-meshed strainer. Return sauce to saucepan. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep at room temperature.)
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with parsley, then salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and sauté until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, rewarm sauce. Stir in olives, gin, and lemon juice. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Place salmon on plates. Drizzle sauce over. Garnish with chives and serve.
• *Juniper berries are available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

BIG CITY SALMON WITH MARTINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Season each piece of salmon with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. If sautéing, heat the olive oil in a wide skillet and cook the fish, about 3 minutes on the first side, then about 2 minutes on the second side to achieve a medium-rare temperature. (Increase the cooking time by about 90 seconds on each side if you want the salmon to be cooked through.) You may also grill or broil the salmon, as desired.
• Spoon the Martini Sauce over (or alongside) the cooked salmon and serve immediately. This salmon is delicious with boiled new potatoes or rice.
• Martini Sauce
• Place the shallots, gin, vermouth, juniper berries, and green peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons liquid. Add the cream and reduce to 1/4 cup.
• Strain and return the liquid to the saucepan (discard the solids). Whisk in the butter. Add the olives and season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and a little pepper. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the salmon.

SILVER-TEQUILA MARTINI

Steps:

• Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add tequila, vermouth, grapefruit juice, and bitters. Cover and shake several times.
• Stir together silver flakes and sugar on a small plate. Run grapefruit wedge along the rim of a chilled martini glass. Dip rim in sugar mixture to evenly coat. Strain tequila mixture into glass, add grapefruit twist, and serve.