Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Pan Roasted Wild King Salmon with Beluga lentils and English pea puree

This is a simple dish that serves 4 people. You can get good quality salmon with skin on at local fish mongers or whole food-type stores. Leave skin on and scaled at 6 ounces each. To cook the salmon, score the skin 3 times to prevent it from curling over. Rub salmon with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. On high heat, warm sauté pan and add 1 tablespoon of olive to it. (Pan must be hot enough, so that the oil reacts like water in a pan, but not so hot that it starts smoking.) Lay fish skin side down, starting toward you and laying away. (This prevents splashing.) Let simmer for 30 seconds and reduce heat to medium. Keep skin side down and finish in oven for 3 minutes or until medium in temperature. Pool pea puree in center of plate, and spoon lentils in middle. Lay salmon skin side up on top of lentils, and garnish with either fresh dill or preserved lemon.

Pea Puree

• 2 cup fresh picked peas

• ¼ cup yellow onion medium diced

• 1 tsp minced garlic

• ½ cup chicken stock

• 1 tsp butter

• ¼ cup cream

• Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onions, garlic and peas with butter until onions are translucent. Add stock and bring to simmer until peas are al dente. Add cream and blend on high in Vita Prep until smooth. Season to taste.

Beluga Lentils

• ¼ cup each (mirepoix) carrots, onion, celery, fine diced

• 4 oz pork belly diced ¼ inch

• 1 pint chicken stock warm

• 1 tsp butter unsalted

• 4 cups beluga lentils

• Salt and pepper to taste

In medium stock pot, sauté pork belly until all fat is rendered and belly starts to crisp lightly, about 4-5 minutes, add mirepoix, sauté until onions are translucent. Add lentils and stir for about 1 minute. Cover 1-inch over with stock and bring to light simmer and cover. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste.