Cook's Corner
Luscious lunch
Meridian Cafe serves up salmon and a side
By Ron Mikulak * rmikulak@courier-journal.com * January 14, 2009
The Meridian Cafe, 112 Meridian Ave. in St. Matthews, lately has been inspiring quite a few customers to request recipes -- a sign that the restaurant is pleasing its patrons. The most recent was Mary Jones, who said, "My daughter and I enjoyed a delicious lunch, as always, at Meridian Cafe. We ordered salmon with a sweet potato-apple gratin side dish. Could you please print this recipe?"
Owner Mike Ross has been generous with the recipes that he and his kitchen staff concoct. This offering was worked up by chef Steven Coke.
Meridian Cafe's sweet potato-apple gratin
· 3 medium sweet potatoes, about 2 1/2 pounds
· 2 or 3 Granny Smith apples, about 1/2 pound
· 1/2 cup heavy cream
· 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
· 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
· 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
· Cooking spray
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel the sweet potatoes. Cut one of them into large dice. Slice the others thinly, about 1/8-inch. Peel, core and slice the apples.
In a small sauce pan, place the diced potato and enough cold water to cover completely. Bring to boil, and cook until fork tender, about 12 minutes. Drain the cooked potato, then mash in a bowl and allow to cool.
Add the heavy cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg to the mashed sweet potato, and stir to blend well.
Lightly spray an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom with a layer of the sliced sweet potatoes, and cover them with a layer of the apples. Top the layers with 1/3 of potato cream mixture. Repeat the process two more times, ending with the last of the mashed sweet potatoes. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour.
While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter and toss with the panko breadcrumbs. When the gratin is ready, remove the foil. Sprinkle the buttered panko evenly over the gratin, and press in lightly. Broil until golden brown.
Serves 6.
Meridian Cafe's honey-pumpkin ale glazed salmon
Pumpkin ale is a fall seasonal beer, but most good suppliers of craft beer should still have a selection.
For honey-pumpkin ale glaze:
· 12-ounce bottle pumpkin ale
· 4 tablespoons honey
· Salt and pepper to taste
For salmon:
· 6 4- to 6-ounce pieces of salmon fillet, skins removed
· Olive oil
· Salt and pepper
In a sauté pan, whisk the beer and honey together. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture reduces until it can coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes, stirring often. Be careful not to boil or burn the glaze. Taste, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Set oven broiler to high, with the rack 2 to 4 inches from the heat.
Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel, and brush all sides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan until almost smoking, add the salmon fillets and sear on both sides, cooking until not quite cooked through. Remove to a baking sheet. Brush the salmon with the glaze, and place it under the broiler. Broil until cooked through.
Serves 6.
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Online: Reach Ron at http://www.courier-journal.com/ron.