Chilean Grilled Fruit with Spice-Crusted Salmon and Mushroom Quinoa July 2009

From: Chef Peter Doire, Legal Sea Foods, Boston. Yield: 8 servings.

Chilean Fruit Ragout:

3 lb. fresh Chilean peaches and/or nectarines (about 8)

12 oz. fresh Chilean plums (about 4)

1 cup julienned red onion

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 cup orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

1 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. salt

Mushroom Quinoa:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 cups finely chopped white mushrooms

½ cup finely chopped shallots

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups quinoa

3½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

Spice-Crusted Salmon:

8 8-oz. salmon filets

1 Tbsp. Merken spice blend*

For fruit ragout: Remove pits from fruit; cut fruit into wedges (makes about 3 cups). On hot grill or under hot broiler, grill fruit until almost tender, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to bowl; stir in onion, cilantro, orange and lime juices, sugar and salt; cover for 10 minutes to blend flavors (makes about 8 cups).

For mushroom quinoa: In sauce pot, heat oil until hot; add mushrooms, shallots and ¼ tsp. salt; sauté until shallots are tender and slightly caramelized, about 7 minutes. Add quinoa; cook and stir until it begins to pop and crackle, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and pepper; bring to boil. Stir, reduce heat, cover and cook until quinoa is tender but still chewy, 10 to 15 minutes (yield: about 8 cups).

For spice-crusted salmon: Cut each filet in half crosswise; season with Merken spice. On hot grill or under hot broiler, grill fish to desired doneness, about 5 minutes for medium rare.

To serve: In center of a dinner plate, place salmon halves, slightly separated. Spoon 1 cup Fresh Chilean Fruit Ragout between the halves. Serve with 1 cup Mushroom Quinoa. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

*To substitute for Merken Spice: Prepare the following spice combination of 1 Tbsp. chipotle powder, 1 tsp. ground coriander and ½ tsp. salt. Use ¼ to ½ tsp. for each salmon filet.
CHILEAN FRESH FRUIT ASSN.