Inside CMC, December 2001

Salmon with Lemon Dill Butter Sauce

Ingredients

4 8-ounce salmon fillets

1 each whole lemon peeled (no white left on lemon)

1 Tablespoon shallot, peeled and chopped

1 each large sprig of thyme

1/2 Cup white wine

1/4 Cup heavy cream

1/2-pound cold, unsalted butter, diced in 1-inch cubes

1 Tablespoon chopped dill

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Mark salmon on grill and finish cooking on tray in 400-degree oven for about five minutes. In a small saucepan, reduce lemon, wine, thyme, and shallots until half-reduced. Add heavy cream and reduce until thickened. Lower heat and add butter, one cube at a time, stirring constantly (do not boil or sauce will break). When you have added all the butter and it is melted, strain through a fine strainer and season to taste. Add chopped dill. Put salmon on plate and ladle about 1 1/2 ounces of sauce on top of the fish.

Yield: Makes 4 8-ounce servings

Inside CMC, December 2001

Athenaeum Madrigal Wassail

Ingredients

1 Cup water

3 Cup sugar

1 Tablespoon grated nutmeg

2 Teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 Teaspoon ground mace

6 whole cloves

6 allspice berries

1 stick cinnamon

1 dozen egg whites

1 dozen egg yolks

3 750-ml. bottles sherry or madeira

1 1/2 cups brandy

Directions

Combine water, sugar, grated nutmeg, ground ginger, ground mace, whole cloves, allspice berries and cinnamon stick in a saucepan, and boil for five minutes. Beat 1 dozen egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Beat separately 1 dozen egg yolks until light in color. Fold whites into yolks, using a large bowl. Strain sugar and spice mixture into eggs, combining quickly. Warm bottles of sherry or madeira and brandy almost to a boil in a large pot, to accommodate increase in volume after mixing. Incorporate the hot wine with the spice and egg mixture, beginning slowly, and stirring briskly with each addition.

Yield: Maxes approximately 1 1/2 gallons