Blackened Salmon With Hollandaise Shrimp Creole Sauce Millennium Alaskan Hotel, Anchorage, Executive Chef INGREDIENTS one half pound (two sticks) unsalted butter, melted in a skillet 6 (8- to 10-ounce) salmon fillets (may also use snapper) Seasoning Mix 1 tablespoon sweet paprika two & one half teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper three quarter teaspoon white pepper three quarter teaspoon black pepper one half teaspoon dry thyme leaves one half teaspoon dry oregano leaves Preparation Heat a large cast iron skillet over very high heat until it’s beyond the smoking stage and you see white ash in the skillet bottom (the skillet cannot be too hot for this dish), at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour two tablespoons melted butter into six small ramekins. Set aside and keep warm. Reserve the remaining butter in its skillet. Heat the serving plates in a 250 degree oven. Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Dip each fillet in the melted butter so that both sides are well coated; then sprinkle seasoning mix generously and evenly on both sides, patting it in by hand. Place in the hot skillet and pour one quarter tablespoon melted butter on top of each fillet (be careful, as the butter may flame up). Cook, uncovered, over the same high heat until the underside looks charred, about one to one and one-half minutes (the time will vary according to the thickness and the heat of the skillet). Turn the fillets over and again pour one quarter teaspoon butter on top, cook until done. Repeat with remaining fillets. Serve each order (about 3-4) while piping hot. To serve, place one fillet and a ramekin of butter on each heated serving plate. Hollandaise Sauce Melt slowly and keep one half cup butter warm. Barely heat one and one-half tablespoon lemon juice, dry sherry or tarragon vinegar. Have ready a small saucepan of boiling water and a tablespoon with which to measure it when ready. Place egg yolks in the top of a double boiler, over, not in, hot water. Beat three egg yolks with a wire whisk until they begin to thicken. Add 1 tablespoon of the boiling water. Beat again until the eggs begin to thicken. Repeat this process until you have added three more tablespoons of water. Beat in the warm lemon juice, sherry or vinegar. Remove double boiler from heat. Beat the sauce well with a wire whisk. Continue to beat while slowly adding butter, one quarter teaspoon salt and a dash of Cayenne pepper. Beat until the sauce is thick. Creole Shrimp Hollandaise Add the following to the Hollandaise Sauce and plate below the Blackened Salmon one quarter cup diced green onion one quarter cup bay shrimp one quarter cup diced ham two tablespoons Cajun spice mix (available at all grocery stores) one quarter cup diced tomatoes Mix well. Serve with steaks or seafood. Millennium Alaskan Hotel 4800 Spenard Road Anchorage, Alaska (907) 243-2300 millenniumhotels.com

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