Featured on the cover of the spring issue of Catersource is Jeremy Langemann’s (Bingeman’s Catering) Maple-Cured Sweetgrass Smoked Steelhead (accompanied by Corn Skillet Cakes, Saskatoon Berry Spread, and Puffed Rice & Fried Sage) which was sampled during Art of Catering Food 2024, with an assist from sponsor Sitka Seafood. —Amber Kispert
Maple-Cured, Sweetgrass Smoked Steelhead
Yield: Approximately 300 2-oz portions
Ingredients
20 lb steelhead salmon
2 qt salt
4 T ground juniper
¼ cup ground sumac
2 qts maple syrup
2 cups agave
Method
- Line multiple 2-inch full hotel pans with Saran wrap and set aside.
- Combine brine ingredients.
- Place salmon filet flesh side down in the hotel pan and lightly rub the skin with the brine.
- Flip the salmon so the skin side is down, rub the remaining brine into the flesh side of the salmon.
- Cover the salmon with the Saran wrap, ensure it is touching the flesh, and then fold over the wrap that is lining the pan.
- Let salmon cure for 12 hours, then flip and cure for an additional 12 hours.
- Rinse salmon under cold running water and pat dry. Refrigerate for 24 hours, unwrapped to form a pellicle.
- Cold smoke (75°F) using sweetgrass and maple wood for 45 minutes.
Corn Skillet Cakes
Ingredients
342 g lard or butter + extra lard for frying
200 g maple sugar
400 g eggs (duck preferred, 6pc)
530 g milk (soy preferred)
234 g brown rice flour
234 g amaranth flour
357 g cornmeal
25 g baking powder
15 g sea salt
¼ cup white sage, chopped
500 g corn kernels (cooked)
10 g xanthan gum (optional)
Method for Batter
- Combine all wet ingredients, lard, and mix.
- Blend in dry ingredients to form a batter.
Method for Cakes
- Preheat a cast skillet to medium heat.
- Add enough lard to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Scoop batter into the skillet, approx. 30 g (.5-1 oz) portion.
- Cook until lightly golden brown, adding lard as required, flip and cook the second side until lightly golden brown, flip over again for an additional minute, flip one last time and cook for an additional minute. *See Puffed Rice & Fried Sage, below
- 5. Do not refrigerate, serve at room temperature, or slightly warmed.
Saskatoon Berry Spread
Ingredients
750 ml fresh or frozen Saskatoon berries
250 ml maple sugar
125 ml water, or wild rice broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch sea salt
60 ml cornstarch
Method
- Combine berries and sugar in an appropriately sized pot and bring to a simmer.
- Let cook until the berries are soft and residual moisture has reduced by half, remove from the heat, and stir in salt and fresh thyme. Let steep for 10 minutes, remove thyme and pulse two to three times in a food processor.
Puffed Rice & Fried Sage
Ingredients
250 ml wild rice
225 g fresh sage leaves
200 g micro amaranth, and/or micro chervil
Method
- After frying the corn cakes, remove any left-over batter crumbs.
- Add 250 ml lard to the skillet and let melt.
- Add sage leaves, careful they may splatter slightly, fry until dark green in color and translucent, remove and place onto a paper towel to drain.
- Add wild rice to the lard, stir lightly and let crisp until lightly golden, remove and place onto a paper towel to let dry, lightly season with sea salt.
Process to Compose Dish
Thinly slice the steelhead, spread saskatoon berry spread onto the skillet cake, place sliced steelhead on the cake and top with puffed wild rice and fried sage. Arrange neatly on live edge wood, or natural stone garnished with fresh cedar boughs.
Photo courtesy Dana Gibbons Photography/AGNYC Productions Inc
