Are you looking for a quick savory way to stretch a rich red piece of sockeye? If so, try this Bristol Bay Sockeye Strips Technique. We first saw this unique technique while attending the July 4^th Chamber of Commerce BBQ in Dillingham, Alaska.

Gorden Isaacs, who owns the Beaver Creek Bed and Breakfast with his wife Susan, was manning the grill and serving his signature salmon strips straight from a sizzling cast-iron skillet. Hot and savory, the strips were created by crosscutting skinless sockeye fillets and searing them in a cast-iron skillet for about 15 seconds in total. The strips can be blackened before searing or they can be seared unadorned.

When we discovered the strips, we instinctively knew they were a winner. Quick, affordable, and versatile, the strips lend themselves to an array of dishes such as sandwiches, tacos, and salads.  The technique can be used on whole fresh fillets, previously frozen fillets, and on the individually wrapped flash frozen fillets.

When we tested the technique, we used the individual flash frozen fillets. Convenient and readily available, we like using these fillets because it is relatively easy to remove the skin during the preparation. If you buy a whole fresh fillet, you might ask the fishmonger to remove the skin for you.

Bristol Bay Sockeye Strips Technique:

2 six-ounce flash frozen sockeye fillets

Get a cutting board and, if possible, lay a piece of parchment on the cutting board.

Using a sharp chef’s knife or a fillet knife, remove the salmon skin by making a small slit between the side of the salmon skin and the salmon flesh. (Do not attempt to make the slit on the cut end of the salmon fillet…make the slit on the side of the fillet.) Then, with one hand, hold the little edge of the salmon skin down onto the parchment. Insert the blade of the knife between the skin and the flesh, keeping the blade pointed towards the skin. Then slide the blade through the fillet to remove the skin.

Within in seconds, the skin will be removed and you will have a gorgeous skinless fillet of sockeye. Then cut the fillet crosswise into four pieces, each about ½ in thickness.

Spray a nonstick skillet or a cast-iron skillet lightly with oil and preheat over moderately high heat. Add the salmon strips and cook for about 8 seconds on each side.  It’s worth noting that even though the salmon won’t look completely cooked at that point, the strips will continue to cook after they are removed from the heat.

To use the strips, add them to salads, sandwiches, tacos, and brunch dishes.

--Melissa A. Trainer

With a sharp knife, remove the skin on each fillet and cut each fillet into ½-inch thick strips. You should have about eight strips when both fillets are cut.  (For a more detailed explanation of this technique, see Dillingham Salmon Strip Technique.)

Spray a nonstick skillet or a cast-iron skillet lightly with oil and preheat over moderately high heat. Add the salmon strips and cook for about 8 seconds on each side.

Lay out the tortillas and distribute the shredded iceberg and red cabbage evenly between the tortillas.  Place two sockeye strips on each tortilla and divide the corn, black beans, and fresh coriander evenly between each tortilla. Divide the avocado slices evenly amongst the tacos.

Stir together the sour cream and the salsa and divide evenly on each taco.  Garnish with remaining coriander leaves. Serves  4.

--Melissa A. Trainer

When it comes to party fare, why reinvent the wheel? We like party balls and decided to create this spicy sockeye salmon ball for Super Bowl 2012. Featuring cold smoked Bristol Bay sockeye, cream cheese, and spicy horseradish, this simple recipe is bound to kick off the party with a bang. The ball can be made in advance and is particularly delicious served with additional smoked salmon, artisan crackers, sesame grissini, fresh vegetables, and an Alaskan Amber or an India Pale Ale from Alaskan Brewing Company.

DIRECTIONS:

Put the sockeye salmon in the food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse the food processor seven or eight times to break up the salmon. Distribute the cream cheese chunks evenly around the blade of the food processor. Lock on the lid of the processor and pulse the machine four or five times to distribute the cream cheese.  Add the horseradish and run the food processor for about twenty seconds, scraping down the side of the work bowl as necessary.  At this point, taste the mixture and add a little additional horseradish if desired.  If the mixture seems too stiff, add a tablespoon of milk to loosen only slightly.

To form the mixture into a ball, crisscross two generously long pieces of Saran wrap on the counter. Mound the salmon mixture in the middle, pull the Saran wrap up around the mixture, and use the Saran wrap to form the mixture into a ball. Chill the ball for a few hours or overnight.

To serve, put the salmon ball on a large platter and garnish with the fresh parsley.  Arrange the artisan crackers, grissini, vegetables, and additional smoked salmon around the spicy sockeye salmon ball.

VARIATIONS:

Cold Smoked versus Hot Smoked:

This recipe features the cold smoked sockeye because we think the cold smoked salmon gives a more luxurious taste and texture. Hot smoked salmon works equally as well, but it is important to remove the skin before adding the hot smoked salmon.

Roll It:

If you want to dress up the salmon ball before serving, you can easily roll it in the finely chopped parsley or other fresh herbs such as dill. Of course, do this before placing the ball on the platter.

Skip the Ball and Create a Dip:

If you want to serve a dip rather than the ball, simply add a little sour cream or additional milk to reach the desired consistency. The dip can be served in a large bowl and garnished as desired.

Recipe/Photo: Melissa A. Trainer

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a blender or food processor, blend the gingerroot, orange juice, oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and sesame seeds for about 15 seconds, or until blended. Set aside.

Pat the salmon dry and sprinkle lightly with salt. Lightly oil an ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, and preheat over moderately high heat. Sear the salmon for about one minute on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook the salmon for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until the flesh is translucent.

Divide the lettuce between two plates, surround it with the oranges, and drizzle with the dressing. Top the lettuce with the cooked salmon and drizzle generously with additional dressing.

Recipe/Photo: Melissa Trainer

We love using smoked sockeye in this presentation because the salmon is so inherently impressive with its deep rich red color.  In Bristol Bay, many families harvest sockeye during the summer and smoke it at home. They enjoy it year round in a variety of way.   We were inspired by that tradition when we created these tips:

Choose the Platter: A large white platter works best because it accents the bright color and you can arrange the salmon and the garnishes right on the plate.

Calculate the Quantity: Cold and hot smoked salmon are usually sold in eight-ounce packages. One pound of each is a great starting point, but the amounts will vary according to the size of the party.

Prepare the Cold Smoked Salmon: Cold smoked salmon is often sold pre sliced. This is very convenient, but it is important to separate the slices before serving. For best results, separate the salmon while it is chilled, fold the slices in a casual manner, and arrange them on the platter.  The folded salmon is also easier to pick up with a fork.

Prepare the Hot Smoked Salmon: Hot smoked salmon is sold in hunks and is drier than the cold. It is usually sold with the skin intact. For serving, simply pat the salmon dry after you remove it from the package and arrange it on the platter intact.

Gather the Garnishes: Serve with sour cream, whipped cream cheese, diced red onion, pumpernickel, lemon zest, capers. Put the garnishes in the center of the platter and be sure to have small serving spoons available.

Pick a Mustard: We keep a variety of specialty mustards on hand for this type of platter. A sweet dill-enhanced mustard goes really well with the cold smoked salmon.

Choose a Carb: Many types of crackers and breads can be served. Norwegian and Eastern European breads such as pumpernickel or rye are great. If necessary, cut the slices into triangles. Encourage guests to make mini sandwiches, too.

Replenish: Take a hint from the caterers. If you are having a large party, make two platters. Put one on the buffet table. Keep the other chilled. Rotate accordingly.

Love Leftovers: Any leftover salmon can be covered and stored in the fridge. Use it the next day in eggs, salads, or sandwiches. Get creative!

Give it as a Gift: This platter makes a fabulous hostess gift!  If you want to give it as a gift, bring the smoked salmon, the capers, the mustard and the pumpernickel and assemble the platter on site

Recipe/Photo: Melissa Trainer

Remove any pin bones and the skin from the salmon if necessary. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and cut each fillet into three equal portions. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

With a knife, smear a little butter on each dinner roll. Preheat a nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Brown the dinner rolls, cut side down, just until they are toasted lightly. Arrange the rolls on a baking sheet with the top and bottom side by side.  Once the rolls are cool, put a few lettuce or spinach leaves on the bottom half of each bun.

In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, honey, and lemon. Add the coleslaw and mix well. Add salt to taste and set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with oil and preheat over moderately high heat. Cook the salmon pieces over moderately high heat for about one minute on each side, or until lightly browned and just cooked through. (Note: The cook time will vary slightly as some of the pieces from the thicker part of the fillet might take a few seconds longer. Watch carefully at this point or those little pieces of salmon will get overcooked in a flash!)

Working quickly, put a piece of salmon on each bun, dollop with the coleslaw mixture, and top with the lid. Serve immediately.

Recipe/Photo: Melissa Trainer

For our version, we ramped things up. We added dill and decided to dollop the caviar sour cream mixture onto artisan crackers and then garnish the canapes with a dollop of Bristol Bay ikura.  A celebratory pop in each brilliant bite!

Directions: In a large bowl gently combine the sour cream with two tablespoons of the caviar, and some of the diced onion. Arrange the crackers on a platter, top each one with a small spoonful of the sour cream mixture, and dollop with additional caviar. Serve immediately.

*Availability: Bristol Bay sockeye caviar, or ikura, can still be difficult to find domestically, because most of it is shipped abroad. We are very happy to have Awers Red-Caviar, located in Bellevue, Washington. They source their ikura directly from Dillingham, Alaska and will be happy to ship their caviar directly to you. For additional information, see this link.

Recipe/Photo: Melissa Trainer

Drain the salmon, reserve the liquid, and flake the salmon into a bowl.

In a large heavy stockpot sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring, for about four minutes, or until the onion has softened.

Add the potatoes, carrots, broccoli, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer the mixture over moderate heat, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Gently stir in the flaked salmon,  reserved salmon liquid, evaporated milk, and creamed corn. Heat thoroughly. Garnish with fresh dill, if available and desired.

Recipe/Photo: Melissa Trainer

1. Make the guacamole, cover it with plastic wrap (pressed directly onto the surface to keep it from browning) and refrigerate. visit www.alisonslunch.com for Alison's recipe.

2. Skin the salmon fillet and sprinkle it all over with the spice rub, rubbing it on to cover all surfaces.

3. Heat your grill on high heat, and when the grill racks are very hot, scrub them clean with your grill brush. Just before you’re going to grill the salmon, fold a paper towel into a 3” square, and soak this pad in a small dish of canola oil. Swab the grill racks thoroughly with the oil-soaked pad, then immediately set the fillet on the hot, oiled rack with the skinned side up (pretty side down).

4. Turn the heat down to medium and cover the grill. Cook the salmon on that side until it has nice grill marks and will release from the grill without sticking, about 4 minutes.

5. While the salmon is grilling, toast the bread on the grill or in your toaster.

6. Use the same paper towel to oil the nearby grill space, and then carefully flip the salmon onto the newly oiled patch. Cook for another couple of minutes until it’s done to your liking. We like it pretty rare, but keep in mind that the thinner tail section will cook faster than the thicker sections. You can either cut the tail off when it’s cooked and let the rest of the salmon cook a bit more, cut the tail section off before you grill it and cook it separately, or just let the tail part get more well-done than the rest of the fillet for those in your family who prefer it that way.

7. Remove the salmon from the grill to a plate while you prepare the sandwiches.

8. Spread each slice of toast with a thick layer of guacamole, top with the salmon, and sprinkle with red onions. Serve immediately.

Photo courtesy: Alison Arians, www.alisonslunch.com

Preheat grill to about 325-350º. Place cedar or alder plank on rack in grill and cover to heat. A pan of alder chips may be placed over heat source for a nice smoky flavor.

Salt Bristol Bay Sockeye fillet to taste and squeeze lemon over fillet.

Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, and basil together in a small bowl. Spread thinly over fillet. Sprinkle pepper over all.

Place salmon fillet on plank (skin-side down) in grill. Cover and barbecue at 325-350º until done.

Note: A Northwest cedar or alder plank does an excellent job of controlling or tempering the cooking heat so as not to overcook the salmon.

Photo courtesy: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute