Savory grilled salmon stew
- 3 lbs. fresh tomatoes, washed, cored and quartered
- 3 ears fresh corn
- 4 large new potatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and de-stemmed, cut into 1-inch strips
- vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillet, boned and skinned
- 2 Tb. butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, mixed (try basil, chives, thyme, and rosemary)
Place tomatoes and about 2 cups water in a large soup pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer tomatoes until soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your grill (if using charcoal) and brush corn, potatoes, and salmon lightly with vegetable oil then sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. Set grilling items aside.
Remove tomatoes from heat and run through a ricer or a sieve to remove skins and seeds. Add tomato puree back to the soup pot and then add the stock. Return soup to low heat. Sauté onions in butter in a separate pan over medium-high heat. When onions are translucent, add minced garlic and sauté one more minute. Add red wine to onions and allow to reduce almost completely. When wine has reduced add onion mixture to tomato broth; continue to simmer. When the grill is ready, begin grilling peppers skin side down. When peppers are fully charred remove them to a small bowl, cover with foil and set aside. Grill corn and potatoes until nicely marked– they don’t need to be fully cooked since they will cook more when added to the soup. Set vegetables aside and grill the salmon lightly– it, too, can finish cooking in the soup. Set salmon aside.
Now peel the skin from the peppers and chop them roughly, then add them to the soup. Next cut the corn from the cob and cube the potatoes. If any vegetables need more cooking add them to the soup and simmer until tender. Flake the fish fillets into large chunks, adding them the last minute or two before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper then add the fresh chopped herbs just before serving. Serve hot. Makes 6 delicious servings just right for pairing with Schug Sonoma Valley Pinot Noir.
