JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – Blackberry Gastrique
3/4 cup red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons seedless blackberry preserves
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a small saucepan simmer vinegar until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Whisk in preserves and salt, whisking until smooth, and keep warm, covered.
Blackberry Salsa
Blackberry salsa offers sweet heat and a gorgeous contrast in color to grilled seafood, chicken and meats. It's particularly outstanding as a condiment for fish tacos.
Ingredients
• 2 cups ripe but firm fresh blackberries
• 3 tablespoons minced red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large red jalapeno, trimmed, halved, seeded, minced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon warm honey
• Salt to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and gently toss. Set aside for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally, before serving, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Salmon
I always say buy the freshest Salmon you can afford and highly recommend Wild Alaskan King Salmon from the Pacific Northwest. It cooks up so easily and needs minimal seasoning.
2 lbs of fresh Salmon, skin on one side (serves 4)
Cut the salmon into "steak" sizes or ask at the seafood market. Marinate the salmon in extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.
Heat a grill pan until a drop of water sizzles when placed in pan. Place the salmon skin down and let cook for about 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness. You can see the fish cook along the sides. Flip salmon when you can tell it is about ½ cooked up the side. Finish cooking on the other side until at desired tenderness. Skin should be crisped up nicely.
On plates, use a teaspoon to scrape gastrique along one end of plate. It should be gelled at this point and not be runny. Place one end of the piece of salmon at the edge of the gastrique. Spoon a bit of the salsa on the plate, as a condiment and enjoy!