Recipe: Salmon ceviche with orange, capers and roasted green chile

Serves 8 as appetizer.

Note: This is best when the ceviche is made the day it is served. After marinating the salmon, the flavorings may be successfully added 4 or 5 hours ahead, but only spoon the ceviche onto the lettuce when ready to serve. Created by Rick Bayless for the Alaskan Seafood Marketing Institute.

• 1 lb. skinless salmon, cut into 1/2 -in. cubes or slightly smaller

• 2/3 c. fresh lime juice

• 2/3 c. fresh orange juice

• 1 medium red onion, chopped into 1/4 -in. pieces

• 1 large fresh poblano chile

• 2 tbsp. capers, drained

• 1/3 c. fresh cilantro, chopped, plus some leaves for garnish

• Salt, as needed

• 2 generous cups frisée lettuce, or other small-leafed lettuce

• French bread, thinly toasted slices or crackers, for serving

To marinate the salmon: Place the salmon in a 11/2 -quart glass or stainless steel bowl and stir in the lime and orange juices and onion. You'll need enough juice to cover the salmon and allow it to float somewhat freely. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, until a piece of salmon looks "cooked" about halfway through. It will still be translucent pink inside. Drain off all but a little of the juice.

To make the flavorings: Roast the poblano on an open flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning until the skin is evenly blistered and blackened, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes.

Rub off the blackened skin, then pull or cut out the stem and the seed pod. Tear open and quickly rinse to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Cut into 1/4 -inch pieces and place in a large bowl.

Cut away the orange rind and all the white pith. Cut out the all-orange, no-white-pith segments: With a small sharp knife cut between the segment-dividing white membranes, releasing perfect little segments (called supremes). Cut the segments in half and add to the bowl.

Stir in the capers, cilantro and marinated salmon (with the remaining juice). Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon, then cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.

SALMON FISH CAKES WITH HERB-CRUSHED POTATOES

Serves 4 to 6.

From "Fish Tales," by Bart van Olphen and Tom Kime.

• 101/2 oz. salmon fillets

• 11/2 c. milk

• 10 black peppercorns

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 lb. potatoes, peeled and chopped into even-sized pieces

• 4 green onions, finely chopped

• Grated zest of 1 lemon

• 2 sprigs fresh dill

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

• Olive oil, for frying

• Flour, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon fillets skin-side down in a roasting pan. Cover with milk, add parsley stems, black peppercorns and bay leaves, and cover tightly with tin foil. Poach in oven for 20 minutes until cooked.

Bring potatoes to boil in a pot of salted water. When soft, drain potatoes and coarsely crush them (do not make them completely smooth).

When potatoes are cool, add green onions, lemon zest and arugula. Chop parsley leaves and dill together. Add chopped herbs to potatoes with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix together, continuing to break up potatoes without creating a smooth consistency.

When salmon is cooked, remove from milk and allow to drain. Flake salmon and discard any bones or skin. Add fish to potato and herb mixture. When mixing together, keep fish in as large pieces as possible.

Fry a little of the mixture to taste the fishcakes before you roll them all. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired. Roll remaining mixture into balls that fit into palm of your hand or just smaller than a tennis ball. Lightly dust balls with flour, pat and flatten into fishcakes. If mixture is too wet, add a little extra flour to soak up some moisture and hold fishcakes together.

SALMON CHOWDER

Serves 4.

Note: From Southside Bistro in Anchorage, in "The New Alaska Cookbook," by Kim Severson with Glenn Denkler.

• 2 lb. steamer clams, scrubbed

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic

• 1 tbsp. chopped shallots

• 2 c. steaming liquid, such as fish stock, white wine or water

• 3 tbsp. butter

• 2 ribs celery, finely diced

• 1/2 carrot, peeled, finely diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 shallots, minced

• 1/3 c. flour

• 3/4 c. dry white wine

• 11/2 c. heavy cream

• 11/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 c. cooked sweet corn (fresh, canned or frozen)

• 4 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, diced small

• 8 oz. salmon, diced small

• 11/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

• 11/2 tbsp. chopped basil

• 11/2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

• 2 tbsp. snipped fresh chives

Directions

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, garlic and shallots. Cook until onions begin to get tender, about 6 minutes. Add flour, stir well, and continue to cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes without browning mixture. Whisk in wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add reserved clam broth, fish stock, cream and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer.

Add corn and potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add salmon and reserved clams. Simmer 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Garnish with thyme, basil, parsley and chives.

SMOKED SALMON BITES

Makes 12.

Note: This is making the rounds in Eagle River, Alaska. From Jennifer Wenzel.

• Olive oil

• 3 c. smoked salmon, chopped finely

• 1 c. whipped cream cheese

• 1/4 c. plain bread crumbs

• 1 egg

• 1 garlic clove, chopped (or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder)

• Black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a biscuit cutter or glass, cut out center of the bread. Brush it with olive oil and press into mini-muffin pan with the oiled side down. Bake for 10 minutes; cool.

In mixer bowl, combine smoked salmon, cream cheese, bread crumbs, egg, green onions, garlic and pepper. Mix well. Generously spoon combined mixture into bread cups. Arrange on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes about 1 cup.

From "Come One, Come All: Easy Entertaining With Seasonal Menus," by Lee Svitak Dean.

• 4 oz. smoked salmon, cut up

• 4 oz. Neufchatel cheese (light cream cheese), at room temperature (or softened cream cheese)

• 2 to 3 tsp. horseradish, optional

• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

• Dash salt

• 2 tbsp. or more capers, optional

Directions

Remove any skin from the salmon and discard.

Serves as a spread on toast points or with crackers.

SALMON SALAD WITH BEANS

Serves 4.

Note: Substitute already roasted peppers for the bell peppers here, if preferred. This is a great salad to use up leftover salmon. From "How to Cook Everything," by Mark Bittman.

• 1/2 lb. salmon steak (leftover grilled salmon is fine)

• Several sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, if using raw fish

• 1 red or yellow bell pepper (see Note)

• Juice of 1 large lemon, plus more to taste if necessary

• 3 c. cooked or canned white beans, drained

• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved

• 12 to 15 good black or green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

• 1/4 c. minced fresh basil leaves

• 1/4 c. minced fresh parsley leaves

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 4 c. torn assorted salad greens

If starting with raw salmon, marinate in 2 tablespoons olive oil and thyme. Cook over grill or under broiler. Cool the fish.

Broil or grill bell pepper until exterior blisters and blackens. Cool, peel and seed, then cut into strips.

Cut fish into small cubes and toss with lemon juice, beans and remaining olive oil.