Salmon with spinach salad

Recipe: Pan Seared Sustainable Salmon with spinach salad
Yields 1 portion

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. Royal Hawaiian Salmon
  
• 1/2 Cup Crisp Golden Gate Meat Bacon
  
• 3 Cups Chiffonade Spinach
  
• 1 Roma Tomato
  
• 1/2 Red Onion
  
• 1 Lemon
  
• 2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  
• Horseradish Root
  
• Salt & Pepper
  

The concept of unilateral cooking: used in this case to sear a piece of salmon and warm the fish from the bottom to give the bottom a crispy crust and gently cook through the fish to keep its soft flaky texture.

Directions:

1. Warm a large sauté pan to high heat and add 2 tlbs. vegetable oil.
   
   
2. Pat the salmon filet with a paper towel. Water in your pan is going to evaporate really quickly in a hot pan with oil in it. This can cause splattering oil and steam burns, so the recipe does not include water.
   
   
3. Season the fish with fresh ground black pepper and kosher salt. If you still have iodized salt in your cupboard keep it there for your next grease fire, but I'd keep it out of your food.
   
   
4. As the fish starts to cook we are just going to put the cover on the pan. This is going to allow the pan to turn into its own little steam oven.
   
   
5. Now we are going to talk slicing, grab a sharp knife for this one.
   
   
6. Slice the tomatoes however you like, I prefer trim the top and bottom off of the tomato then peel off the fleshy part of the tomato leaving out the seeds.
   
   
7. Stack the leaves of spinach and slice through making sure to slice while sliding your knife through and down. If you chop the spinach you will damage the leaves and create a mushy salad.
   
   
8. Cut the red onion in half and then slice thin.
   
   
9. Take a large bowl and toss the spinach, tomato, red onion, fresh lemon juice, grated horseradish, salt and pepper. Plate into center of your plate and top with the salmon. Garnish with fresh lemon juice and horseradish.

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About Chef Ben Paula:

Chef Ben Paula fell in love with the kitchen growing up cooking with his dad in their family home in Massachusetts. While attending Endicott College outside of Boston, Ben got his first chance to directly influence the output from a restaurant kitchen while creating daily menus as Sous Chef for the Wild Horse Cafe.

He liked the challenge and the satisfaction of creating the dishes, and knew eventually he wanted to open his own restaurant. While assisting world renowned "Fear no Ice" ice carving performers with an exhibit at the Vail Cascade resort, Ben caught the eye of Chef Jesse Llapitan.

Chef Llapitan offered him a position at the four-diamond Vail Cascade Resort and a year and a half later invited Ben to join him as Banquette Chef for the grand opening of the St. Regis Hotel in Los Angeles.

Following a tremendously successful opening Chef Ben was asked to take over as Executive Sous Chef at the Universal Sheraton where he gained invaluable experience in catering and event execution.

Ben then decided it was time to return to the more intimate restaurant scene and left the hotel industry, moving to San Francisco in 2003 where he revitalized the menu at Charlie's on Union. After serving as Chef and GM for Charlie's Ben decided the time had come and struck out on his own with Sauce in Hayes valley.

From blazing chainsaws and 400 lb blocks of ice, to razor sharp knifes and blistering sauté pan's Chef Ben rises to any challenge, and creates from the heart. In his first restaurant venture he does a bit of everything; from personally hand crafting the redwood bar during construction, to delivering the extra ladle of gravy to a table in need.

Chef Ben's love comes through in every aspect of Sauce and his food and personality resulted in its ranking #2 in the "Best new Restaurant" category of San Francisco Magazine's 2004 readers' poll. Signature Chef Ben dishes, ranging from portabella mushroom fries to bacon wrapped meatloaf, will warm your heart as well as fill your belly, and like Ben himself, always deliver just a little more than you expect.

Sauce 131 Gough Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 252-1369
Website: www.saucesf.com

Sauce is participating in "Dine About Town San Francisco:"

The "Dine About Town San Francisco" restaurant promotion returns Jan. 15 - 31, 2010, with nearly 100 participating restaurants. "Dine About Town San Francisco" provides food and wine enthusiasts with an incentive to experience many of San Francisco's finest restaurants at a fraction of the price.

The seasonal promotion, which enters its ninth year in 2010, offers participants a new two-course lunch menu for $17.95 and/or a three-course dinner menu for $34.95 Jan. 15-31 and again June 1-15.

For a complete list of restaurants and to make reservations for Dine About Town, visit San Francisco's official visitor website www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

Dates and times of participation vary by restaurant. A la carte menus will also be available. Reservations are encouraged and may be made online through a partnership with OpenTable.com. Information is also available by calling 415-391-2000.

With the new 'Stay & Shop SF' promotion, diners are encouraged to create an entire weekend around Dine About Town San Francisco, also at a fraction of the cost.

Through Jan. 31, 2010, the SFCVB, American Express and Westfield San Francisco Centre are providing visitors who book a two-night minimum stay at one of the 15 participating hotels a $50 Westfield Gift Card (limit one gift card per stay), and complimentary parking and breakfast when they pay with any American Express Card. The "Stay & Shop SF" promotion includes hotels in the Civic Center, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, Financial District and Pacific Heights.

For general information on hotel packages and reservations, events, activities and transportation in San Francisco, visit www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com

For lodging reservations, call 800-637-5196 within North America or 415-391-2000 or 415-392-0328 (TTY/TTD) elsewhere.