Wolfgang Puck’s Roasted Salmon with Herb Crust

Los Angeles restaurant and chef extraordinaire Wolfgang Puck was always a popular guest on GMA, because we knew we were in for a treat with his cooking. After he demonstrated how to make this dish on the show, everyone in the studio asked for a copy of the recipe. Once you try it, you'll see why. We adapted this from Wolfgang's original recipe, and it's one of my favorites.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
For the Tomato Fondue:
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, * seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons each of finely chopped fresh thyme and parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Potato Puree:
3 large baking potatoes (about 2 to 2 1/4 pounds total), peeled and quartered
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, blanched in boiling water for 5 seconds and cooled in ice water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup 1% milk

For the Roasted Salmon:
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
4 tablespoons coarsely grated fresh horseradish
3 tablespoons freshly chopped fresh herb mixture (a combination of any of the following: dill, parsley, tarragon, thyme, chives, or basil)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 six-ounce pieces salmon fillets, skinned
6 basil sprigs for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Make the fondue: In a skillet, cook the onion and the garlic in the olive oil over moderately low heat, covered, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomatoes, the wine, and the tomato paste, bring to a boil, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Stir in the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. (The tomato sauce may be made several days in advance, kept covered and chilled, and then reheated.)

Make the potato puree: In a saucepan, combine the potatoes with lightly salted water to cover, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender. In a blender, puree the basil with the oil and 3 tablespoons of the milk. Drain the potatoes and pass them through a food mill fitted with the fine blade. Stir in the milk, basil puree, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep the potatoes warm in a double boiler.

Make the roasted salmon: In a bowl, toss together the crumbs, horseradish, and herb mixture. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste, and pat one-sixth of the herb mixture on top of each piece. Drizzle the oil over the crumbs. Arrange the fillets in a shallow baking pan, and roast them in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just cooked through. Divide the potato puree evenly in the center of six plates, and place the salmon on top. Spoon the tomato fondue around the fish, and garnish each plate with a basil sprig.

*To peel a fresh tomato, plunge it into boiling water for 30 seconds, and immediately transfer it with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and water. If the peel does not come off easily, return the tomato to the boiling water for another 10 to 20 seconds.

Nutritional Analysis per serving: 492 calories; 26% calories from fat; 14 grams of fat; 371 milligrams of sodium

Source: Joan Lunden’s Healthy Cooking by Joan Lunden and Laura Morton