April 2006 - TravelOregon.com Recipe of the Month

This recipe for Oregon Hazelnut-Crusted Salmon with Herbed Chèvre Butter and Erath Pinot Noir Reduction comes from Chef Jeremy McLachlan at Salty's on the Columbia in Portland. Dine on their award-winning Northwest seafood cuisine while overlooking the peaceful Columbia River. Salty's offers an excellent selection of local wines, including Pinot Noir from Erath Vineyards, which is used in this salmon recipe.

Oregon Hazelnut-Crusted Salmon with Herbed Chèvre Butter and Erath Pinot Noir Reduction (Serves 4)

Hazelnut Crust:
- ½ cup Oregon Hazelnuts, chopped (untoasted)
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion granule
- 1 dash cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 25 seconds. If you do not have a food processor, mix with hands.

Pinot Noir Reduction:
- 1 750-ml. bottle Erath Pinot Noir
- 2 Tablespoons sugar

Place the Pinot Noir in a saucepan and reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the sugar and chill.

To Serve:
- 4 8-ounce filets Chinook salmon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup hazelnut crust
- 4 Tablespoons herbed chevre butter
- 1 Teaspoon Pinot reduction

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Season filets with salt and pepper. In a sauté pan add the oil and place the salmon in the pan. Dust the salmon with the hazelnut crust. Place in oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the salmon from the oven and top with chevre butter. On a platter add the salmon and use a spoon to drizzle the reduction over the salmon.