A few years ago I created a menu of regional American dishes (both traditional and invented) for a special Fourth of July wine dinner. I wanted something particularly clever to represent Manhattan. I kept thinking of sophisticated New Yorkers drinking martinis and decided to try my hand at making a sauce with similar ingredients. I like the double dose of juniper with the deep, rich taste of wild salmon, and the olives add a distinctive briny note.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

　　Salt and pepper

　　Chopped fresh parsley, as desired

　　2 tablespoons olive oil (if sautéing)

　　Martini Sauce

　　

Martini Sauce

1 tablespoon minced shallot

　　1/4 cup gin

　　1/4 cup dry vermouth

　　1 teaspoon chopped whole juniper berries

　　1 teaspoon dried or brined green peppercorns, optional

　　1/4 cup heavy cream

　　2 teaspoons butter

　　6 pimiento-stuffed queen olives, sliced into rings

　　Fresh lemon juice

　　Salt and pepper

　　

Step 1

Season each piece of salmon with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. If sautéing, heat the olive oil in a wide skillet and cook the fish, about 3 minutes on the first side, then about 2 minutes on the second side to achieve a medium-rare temperature. (Increase the cooking time by about 90 seconds on each side if you want the salmon to be cooked through.) You may also grill or broil the salmon, as desired.

　　

Step 2

Spoon the Martini Sauce over (or alongside) the cooked salmon and serve immediately. This salmon is delicious with boiled new potatoes or rice.

　　

Martini Sauce

Step 3

Place the shallots, gin, vermouth, juniper berries, and green peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons liquid. Add the cream and reduce to 1/4 cup.

　　

Step 4

Strain and return the liquid to the saucepan (discard the solids). Whisk in the butter. Add the olives and season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and a little pepper. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the salmon.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 185.6 calories

　　110.3 calories from fat

　　12.3g total fat

　　4.1g saturated fat

　　18.3 mg cholesterol

　　68.6 mg sodium

　　7.8g total carbs

　　1.8g dietary fiber

　　0.1g sugars

　　2.4g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.