Cherry

A cool cherry paprikash sauce for salmon

by:
June 25, 2010
5
1 Ratings
A cool cherry paprikash sauce for salmon
  • Serves 1-2
Author Notes

Well my Hungarian grandmother never made salmon, but she cooked just about everything with sour cream and sweet smoked paprika. I have added dill, capote capers and Rainier cherries to this dish. The middle photo shows a close up of the sauce.This is what is on my table for lunch today. - Sagegreen —Sagegreen

Test Kitchen Notes

I don't know how Sagegreen came up with this combo, but we've found a new favorite for salmon! The cherries and capers create a nice yin-yang of salty and sweet, with the smoked paprika leaving a nice finish. It's an added bonus that this is quick to make. – FrozenFoodie —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • The cherry paprikash sauce
  • 3 ounces sour cream or premium thick plain Greek yogurt, fage
  • 4 ounces EVOO
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons premium capote capers
  • 8 Rainier yellow cherries, chopped and pitted, using all the juice
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
  • Seared salmon
  • oil for searing (grapeseed or olive)
  • 8 ounces fresh salmon steak fillet
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground green peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
  • 1 cup red onion sliced into rings and halved
  • 2/3 cup Rainier cherries, pitted and halved
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • dill for garnish
  • 4 lemon wedges
  • pinch of kosher salt
Directions
  1. The cherry paprikash sauce
  2. Whisk the sour cream with the olive oil.
  3. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Keep cool.
  1. Seared salmon
  2. Heat a heavy pan (using high heat).
  3. Add a light amount of a good cooking oil.
  4. Sprinkle the salmon with paprika and ground pepper.
  5. Quickly sear the salmon on both sides so that it is crusty on the outside but still all pink inside.
  6. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and cherries.
  7. Add the wine and reduce. Don't overcook the salmon: keep it at least a little pink inside, if not more.
  8. Add salt. Ready to plate: Add some hot onions and cherries over the salmon. Spoon the cool cherry sauce on top. Garnish with dill and lemon wedges.
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  • Champa Paul
    Champa Paul
  • fiveandspice
    fiveandspice
  • Sagegreen
    Sagegreen
  • omarston
    omarston

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13 Reviews

Champa P.
Champa P. August 7, 2012
Dear Sagegreen,
Here's a crazy question. I'm not a fan of capers, do you think some variety of green olives would work?
Paul
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen August 7, 2012
Hmmm. I'm not so sure that olives would here, Paul. But if you experiment bravely and find something that you like, please do let me know.
 
Champa P.
Champa P. August 8, 2012
Dear Sagegreen,
Thanks for answering me. I'll keep thinking, and when I try something, I'll let you know!
 
Champa P.
Champa P. August 9, 2012
Dear Sagegreen,
I just read your profile and you might be interested in knowing that I, too, spent time just before graduating in Germany. I spent two years, though. And I spent practically every weekend at a bed and breakfast run by a friend's mother in a wine village not far from Remagen and the Rhine. And boy could she cook. I'm still remembering the pork roasts with brown gravies that can't be done anywhere but there! If you're like me those years were some of the best ever, with the best foods and wines.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen August 9, 2012
Dear Paster Paul,

I have so many wonderful memories from my times in Germany from many regions. What a great experience you must have had during those b & b weekends! Thanks for sharing.
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice July 20, 2011
Saved! :)
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 20, 2011
Thanks for finding this, fiveandspice!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 20, 2011
And this works with creme fraiche instead of yogurt with steak, too, btw.
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen August 23, 2010
Oopps. Just wanted to edit this without deleting.
 
omarston
omarston July 17, 2010
wow, this looks really good!
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen July 17, 2010
It really was!
 
Peg@BearRiver
Peg@BearRiver June 26, 2010
The Rainier cherries on the tree outside our window are almost ripe, our 2009 vintage Pinot Gris almost ready for bottling, I have a new box of Hungarian paprika and the luscious photo of your salmon has my mouth watering. Can't wait to try out your recipe!
Peg @ Bear River Vineyards
 
Sagegreen
Sagegreen June 26, 2010
Hope you like it!