Sizzle - Summer 2012

modern Justin Johnson describes his cooking as classical French with a contemporary twist. Executive chef at U W Health Partners Watertown Regional Medical Center, Watertown, Wis., Johnson says he likes to let ingredients speak for themselves and allow the natural flavors to be the star.

“I don’t use a lot of spices, unfamiliar flavors or molecular gastronomy,” he says. “I like for you to be able to taste what you see. Having said that, I also try to throw guests a curveball.”

Johnson does this by focusing on food that is clean, simple and recognizable, yet somehow not at all

what was expected. For his modern rendition of salmon a la nage, he created a bright, rustic summer dish that strays from the classical presentation while holding onto many of the dish’s main components.

“The trickiest element to modernize was the most important one—the sauce,” Johnson says. “I needed to bring a liquid into the dish without making it a rich sauce or stew.”

The solution? Fish milk foam. It is also one of the aspects that gives the plate an ultramodern appearance. To make, he uses milk, fish fumet and agar-agar. If the plate won’t sit for long, you can go without agar-agar.

Johnson wanted to present each element separately. His linear display draws the eye to the seared salmon in the center, with the varying shaped vegetables and colorful garnishes complementing the overall aesthetic.

“When I’m creating a dish, I'm not
looking to create the most involved,
time-consuming and challenging
dish possible, because regardless
of how creative an idea might be,
I always think first about whether
or not we will be able to cook and
present 50 of them on a busy
night,” he says.

Simple, yes, but Johnson does offer a few tips for those who will recreate

the recipe. Knife cuts, such as the
brunoise for the croutons
and the salmon cuts, must be clean
and precise.

Also, the fish milk foam needs to be watched closely so it doesn’t boil over or burn, he says. “Once it starts to foam, it will increase in volume quickly, by three or four times. But, if you stop here, it will quickly deflate to straight milk. Keep it going and really agitate it, keeping control of the output of heat until it calms to only twice its original volume. That's when you'll know it's ready.”

Modern Salmon
a La Nage

¼ cup diced turnips

½ cup diced onions

burn). Remove from heat; cool. Reserve for service.

Flash-Seared Salmon with Fish

1 lb. halibut bones, rinsed

Milk Foam, Radish Confit, Carrot

2 bay leaves

Mousse, Baby Pumpernickel

Croutons and Watercress

Yield: 8 servings

1 T. whole black peppercorns 1 slice pumpernickel rye bread ¼ t. white pepper

cooked carrots; purée until smooth. Divide puréed carrots in rectangular-shaped silicon molds. Place in cooler until set, approximately 2 hours.

1 t. agar-agar

Justin Johnson Executive Chef UW Health Partners Watertown Regional Medical Center Watertown, Wis.

1 lb. Atlantic salmon, cut into 2 oz. rectangular pieces

5. Prepare fish milk foam: In saucepot on high heat, combine remaining milk, 1 T. fish fumet and agar-agar. Whisk constantly until it begins to foam and triple in volume (do not to burn). Set aside.

1 t. kosher salt

1 t. fresh cracked pepper 24 watercress sprigs

8 fennel tops

2. Prepare radish confit: Spread radishes on sheet tray. Drizzle 2 T. sunflower oil over radishes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; arrange 3 thyme sprigs over top. Cover with parchment lid. Do not wrap tightly. Cook at 200°F for 1½ hours. Reserve for service.

Ingredients:

6 baby organic carrots, de-stemmed, peeled, sliced on bias

6½ t. butter, divided

6. Prepare salmon: Season salmon with salt and pepper. Put oil on paper towel; wipe dry skillet. Put skillet on high heat; heat until oil coating begins to smoke slightly. Add salmon; sear quickly, about 45 seconds on each side (salmon will cook only about ¼ inch up each side, staying “blue” in the middle).

1 quart + 2 T. water

1. Prepare carrot mousse: Glaze carrots in the classic French method. In saute pan, combine carrots, 2 T. butter and 2 T. water; cover with parchment lid. Cook gently on low heat for

¼ t. sea salt

1 t. nutmeg

1 T. unflavored gelatin (or gelatin sheets)

20 minutes or until tender. Season with sea salt and nutmeg. Soften gelatin in

¾ cup cold milk, divided 24 radishes, stems removed 2²∕³ T. sunflower oil, divided Salt and pepper, as needed 5 thyme sprigs, divided ¼ cup diced celery

½ cup cold milk until milk thickens (if using gelatin sheets, follow instructions). Transfer gelatin to saucepot. Place over low heat; stir continuously. Heat until fully melted. In blender, combine gelatin and

3. Prepare fish fumet: In medium stockpot, melt remaining butter. Saute celery, turnips, onions and bones until vegetables are translucent. Add remaining water, remaining thyme sprigs, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour. Strain through chinois or strainer with cheesecloth. Reserve for use in fresh milk foam.

4. Prepare pumpernickel croutons: In dry skillet, toast pumpernickel brunoise with remaining sunflower oil and white pepper, tossing continuously (do not

7. To plate: Arrange salmon and 1 square-inch cube carrot mousse in line on plate. Place croutons on top of mousse. Place 3 radishes in line with mousse and salmon. Garnish with watercress and fennel. Finish by reactivating foam; spoon generous amount over salmon.