Pittsburgh Hot Plate

Some of my favorite ingredients to work with are rich buttery sauces, asparagus, salmon and lump crabmeat. Put all of these components together and you have Salmon, Oscar Style. This is an extremely rich, delicious dish.

Salmon Oscar Style

Ingredients:

6 pieces of fresh salmon, 6 oz. each

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 dozen pieces of trimmed, peeled, fresh asparagus

1 can lump crabmeat

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Massage the salmon fillets with olive oil, and season with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets in a 350-degree oven on a greased sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. You may also grill the salmon for this dish- the cooking time will remain the same.

Season the asparagus with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. The asparagus can go in the oven or on the grill- cook for 2 minutes.

While the salmon and asparagus are cooking, put 2 tablespoons of butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the lump crabmeat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until the crab is heated throughout.

For the Béarnaise Sauce:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

2 shallots, minced

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1/4 cup dry white wine

4 egg yolks

1 stick butter, melted

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine the tarragon, shallots, vinegar and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk the yolks until they become light and fluffy- add the béarnaise reduction and continue to mix. Continue whisking at a steady pace while adding the melted butter. Continue this process until an emulsion forms, and all of the butter is gone.

Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Set the sauce aside in a warm place.

To Assemble the Dish

Place the grilled asparagus on a clean dinner plate. Next, put the cooked salmon on top of the asparagus. Spoon a few ounces of crabmeat on top of the salmon. Finish the dish with a large ladle of the béarnaise sauce.

Garnish with chopped parsley, paprika, and lemon wedges.