Bourbon Citrus Salmon and Roasted Beets

Deep dark blood oranges, bright sweet meyer lemons, tart limes, the first appearance in the short season of young peppery water cress, juicy sumo oranges and earthy golden beets. It’s February and the colors and citrus flavors are spectacular!

Bourbon Citrus Salmon

• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (Tamari is gluten free)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbs grated ginger
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 Tbs bourbon
• salt and pepper

Combine lemon juice, orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and bourbon. Pour marinade over salmon and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Bring salmon back to room temperature before cooking. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Place the fillets, skin side up, in the skillet and cook 3 minutes. Turn the salmon and finish cooking in a preheated 350 degree for 5 minutes or until the salmon changes color and is cooked medium or to your liking.

Roasted Beets

• 4 beets (a mix of red and gold)
• drizzle of olive oil
• splash of red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the stems off the beets and wash them. Lay beets (keeping the red and gold separate) on a sheets of foil and drizzle with a little olive oil, splash of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Close up the foil and roast for one hour or until a knife is inserted without resistance. When cool enough to touch, rub the skin off with a paper towel and cut into quarters.

Citrus Vinaigrette

• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• orange zest
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 shallot minced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 3 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Freshly squeeze 1 cup of orange juice. In a sauce pan over medium heat reduce to 1/4 cup. Add zest of 1 orange. Cool. Whisk in a fresh squeeze each of lemon and lime juice, 1 minced shallot, and one sprig of fresh minced thyme. Slowly whisk in 3 tbs olive oil and 3 tablespoons EVOO, salt and pepper.

• 2 blood oranges – cut into slices and supremes

Cut off a sliver from the top and bottom of the orange. Then place the orange on a flat end and cut away the peel and pith. Cut one into slices and one into supremes (made by cutting between the membranes to release the segments).

Arrange the roasted beets and oranges slices and segments on the plate and top with salmon. Serve with a generous portion of water cress and garnish with chopped pistachios and a charred lemon. Pour on the citrus vinaigrette.