Roast Salmon With Black Pepper and Ginger on Celery Root Puree
	Wolfgang Puck talks about the importance of paring food and wine. For more information on wine pairings, check out FINE LIVING's Pairings With Andrea.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Ease of preparation: intermediate

4 (6 to 7-ounce, 3/4-inch thick) salmon fillet pieces
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

For the Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 plum tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken stock (recipe follows)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Celery root puree (recipe follows)

Season the salmon lightly with salt. Brush the top of the salmon with a little melted butter and immediately sprinkle evenly with crushed pepper and chopped ginger. If you wait too long, the butter will harden and the mixture won't stick. Drizzle the remaining butter over the salmon. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Prepare the sauce:

In a small sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter until foamy. Over medium heat, sauté the shallots and garlic until the shallots are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in the wine and vinegar, turn up the heat a little and reduce until 1/2 cup remains. Pour in the chicken stock and reduce by half. Strain into a clean pan. Finish sauce by whisking in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Brush some olive oil over a baking tray large enough to hold the salmon slices in 1 layer and arrange the salmon on the pan. Roast until medium, about 10 minutes. The salmon should be cooked on the outside, but still moist and slightly underdone on the inside.

Divide the sauce among 4 warm dinner plates. Spoon equal amounts of celery root puree in the center of each plate and place 1 piece of salmon on top.

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