The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (208 page)

SERVES 4

When processing the salmon it is okay to have some pieces that are larger than ¹⁄
₄
inch. It is important to avoid overprocessing the fish. If buying a skin-on salmon fillet, purchase 1¹⁄
₃
pounds of fish; this will yield 1¹⁄
₄
pounds of fish after skinning.

1.
Line plate with paper towels and set aside. Combine 3 tablespoons panko, scallion, shallot, parsley, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Working in 3 batches, pulse salmon in food processor until coarsely chopped into ¹⁄
₄
-inch pieces, about 2 pulses, transferring each batch to bowl with panko mixture. Gently mix until uniformly combined.

2.
Place remaining ³⁄
₄
cup panko in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Using ¹⁄
₃
-cup measure, scoop level amount of salmon mixture and transfer to baking sheet; repeat to make 8 cakes. Carefully coat each cake in bread crumbs, gently patting cake into disk measuring 2³⁄
₄
inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Return coated cakes to baking sheet.

3.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place cakes in skillet and cook, without moving, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip cakes and cook until second side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cakes to prepared plate to drain for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges or sauce.

You can substitute smoked salmon for the fresh salmon here if lox is unavailable.

Substitute 4 ounces chopped lox for 4 ounces of fresh salmon. Omit parsley and reduce salt to ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon. Add 1 tablespoon chopped capers and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill to mixture in step 1.

MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
₂
CUP

Mix all ingredients in small bowl and season with pepper to taste. Cover and chill until flavors blend, at least 30 minutes.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

We wanted cakes with a crisp brown exterior and creamy, well-seasoned filling that tasted of sweet crab, not filler. Fresh crabmeat provided the best taste and texture and was worth its high price tag. We found pasteurized crabmeat was a good second choice, but that canned crabmeat (sold near canned tuna) should be avoided at all costs. After experimenting with different binders, we settled on fine dry bread crumbs; their mild flavor kept the crabmeat front and center, they held the cakes together well, and they mixed easily with the crab. An egg and some mayonnaise bound the cakes together. Old Bay is the traditional seasoning for crab, and there was no reason to leave it out; some herbs and white pepper were the only other additions we found necessary. Carefully folding the ingredients together rather than stirring them kept the texture chunky rather than pasty, and a short stint in the refrigerator ensured that the cakes wouldn’t fall apart during their cooking time in the skillet.

SERVES 4

The amount of bread crumbs you add will depend on the crabmeat’s juiciness. Start with the smallest amount, and add more after adding the egg only if the cakes won’t hold together. If you can’t find fresh jumbo lump crabmeat, pasteurized crabmeat, though not as good, is a decent substitute. Either a nonstick or a traditional skillet will work for this recipe, but a nonstick simplifies cleanup.

1.
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently mix crabmeat, scallions, parsley, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, and Old Bay in medium bowl, being careful not to break up crab lumps. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Carefully fold in egg with rubber spatula until mixture just clings together. If cakes don’t bind, add more bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, until they do.

2.
Divide crab mixture into 4 portions and shape each portion into fat, round cake, about 3 inches in diameter and 1¹⁄
₂
inches thick. Arrange on prepared baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

3.
Place flour in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Lightly dredge cakes in flour. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Gently lay floured cakes in skillet and cook until exteriors are crisp and browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve immediately with lemon wedges or sauce.

MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
₂
CUP

You can vary the spiciness of this sauce by adjusting the amount of chipotle to suit your taste.

Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until flavors blend, about 30 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Chefs often choose to braise halibut instead of pan-roasting or sautéing because this moist-heat cooking technique keeps the fish from drying out. The problem is that braising doesn’t allow for browning, which adds great flavor to fish. We didn’t want to make any compromises on either texture or flavor, so we set out to develop a technique for cooking halibut that would produce perfectly cooked, moist, and tender fish with good browning. A combination of pan-searing and oven-roasting proved best. To be sure the steaks wouldn’t overcook, we seared them on one side in a piping-hot skillet, then turned them over before placing them in the oven to finish cooking through. When they were done, the steaks were browned but still moist inside. To complement the lean fish, we developed a few flavored butters and a bright vinaigrette.

See “TRIMMING CARTILAGE FROM HALIBUT” illustration that follows recipe.

See “SERVING HALIBUT STEAKS” illustration that follows recipe.

SERVES 4 TO 6

If you plan to serve the fish with a flavored butter or sauce (recipes follow), prepare it before cooking the fish. Even well-dried fish can cause the hot oil in the pan to splatter. You can minimize splattering by laying the halibut steaks in the pan gently and putting the edge closest to you in the pan first so the far edge falls away from you.

1.
Rinse halibut steaks, dry well with paper towels, and trim cartilage from both ends. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. When oven reaches 425 degrees, heat oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking.

2.
Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-high and swirl oil in skillet to distribute. Carefully lay steaks in skillet and cook, without moving, until spotty brown, about 4 minutes (if steaks are thinner than 1¹⁄
₄
inches, check browning at 3¹⁄
₂
minutes; steaks thicker than 1¹⁄
₂
inches may require extra time, so check at 4¹⁄
₂
minutes). Off heat, flip steaks using 2 thin-bladed metal spatulas.

3.
Transfer skillet to oven and roast until steaks register 140 degrees, flakes loosen, and flesh is opaque when checked with paring knife, about 9 minutes (thicker steaks may take up to 10 minutes). Carefully remove hot skillet from oven and separate skin and bones from fish with spatula. Transfer fish to warm platter and serve immediately dolloped with flavored butter or drizzled with vinaigrette.

MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
₄
CUP

The anchovy adds great depth to this butter.

Beat butter with fork until light and fluffy. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, garlic, anchovy, and salt until thoroughly combined.

MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
₄
CUP

This flavorful butter is great with halibut as well as swordfish and other meaty fish.

Beat butter with fork until light and fluffy. Stir in cilantro, chipotle and adobo sauce, garlic, honey, lime zest, and salt until thoroughly combined.