Lingonberry-Lacquered Coho Salmon with Cajun Alaska Barley Couscous

This recipe showcases some of the prominent wild foods of Alaska’s autumn season, while bringing some heat to the cooler months of the year. I served this dish as a course for a special collaborative dinner event at the Rustic Goat in Anchorage. I chose to lacquer brilliant coho salmon fillets with a glaze of lingonberries and Alaska Birch Syrup, cooked down with some Cajun spice to balance the sweetness. Alaska Flour Company barley couscous also gets a Southern dress-up to something akin to dirty rice with hearty wild mushrooms.

Some Alaska ingredients can be substituted if unavailable. Use what you have.

By Lindsay Kucera | August 06, 2020

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4-6 Serving(s)

Lingonberry Birch Sauce

2 cups lingonberries or cranberries, fresh or frozen
⅓ cup Alaska Birch Syrup or maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup brown sugar
3—4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

For the Salmon

1 cup Lingonberry Birch Sauce
1 Copper River coho salmon fillet, pin bones removed
Salt and pepper

Cajun Barley Couscous

¼ cup olive oil, divided
8—10 ounces wild mushrooms, brushed clean and cut into chunks*
1 medium onion, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 can crushed tomatoes)
2 celery ribs, diced
1 jalapeño, cored and diced
4—6 garlic cloves
2 bell peppers (a mix of colors is fine), cored and diced
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1½ cups Alaska Flour Company Barley Couscous
3¼ cups stock or water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Crispy Fried Onions

½ medium white onion, sliced thinly into half-moons
½ cup buttermilk or yogurt thinned with water
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 cups neutral oil for frying

Preparation

Lingonberry Birch Sauce

In a blender, purée all ingredients until smooth. Pour the sauce through a strainer into a small saucepan to remove any seeds or unblended berry skins. Warm over medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken. Add more cayenne, to taste. Cool and set aside. You will have extra sauce, which is the opposite of a problem. The sauce can be prepared days in advance.

For the salmon:

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Brush the fillet all over with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Depending on the thickness of the fillet, roast for about 5 minutes. Remove the fillet and brush the top liberally with the sauce. Return to the oven for 3—5 more minutes.

The salmon flesh should flake easily with a fork.

Cajun Barley Couscous

*Note: I used a mix of oyster, hedgehog, and chanterelle mushrooms, and one king bolete I found at the time of development. Leave a few mushrooms whole or in larger chunks to roast for a pretty presentation. You can substitute chanterelles, oysters, or even crimini mushrooms from the grocery store.

In a large stockpot with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the mushrooms, and sauté until they give up some of their moisture and begin to brown. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside on a paper towel to drain.

Add the onions and the tomatoes to the pot, stewing them together for a few minutes so the tomatoes begin to break down. If using canned tomatoes, add them later, as indicated.

Add in the diced celery, bell peppers, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté for 5—6 minutes.

Add the spices, the couscous, the stock, and the canned tomatoes, if using. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Let the broth come to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat, and put the lid on the pot. Let the couscous sit for 5—7 minutes to absorb the liquid. Remove the lid, then fluff Cajun couscous with a fork. Fold the browned mushrooms back into the couscous.

Crispy Fried Onions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil to 350° F, or until shimmering.

Mix together flour, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Place buttermilk in a separate bowl.

Toss onions in buttermilk, shake off excess liquid, then toss in flour mix. Gently shake off excess flour, then drop in the hot oil.

Fry until light golden brown, and using a metal slotted spoon, remove from the oil. Place on a paper towel to drain. The onions will continue to brown slightly as they cool.

About this recipe

To serve:

Place salmon on a bed of the couscous, and serve with a side of sautéed or steamed greens. I’ve tried this with arugula, spinach, or wild greens. Pour more of the sauce over the salmon, and top with crunchy fried onions.