Crusted Salmon with Corn Cakes and Swiss Chard

Ingredients:

Corn Cakes:

• 1 cup Cornmeal
• 1 cup All purpose flour
• 1 tsp. Baking powder
• 1 tsp. Chili powder
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper (trust me it is worth freshly ground if possible)
• 2 sups Charred corn kernels (I used frozen summer corn)
• 1 bunch Scallion greens, chopped fine
• 1/2 Jalapeno, chopped fine (this heat is between mild and medium, adjust the quantity for your own tastes)
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped fine (for you cilantro haters out there, try this with parsley or additional scallion)
• Zest of 1 Lime
• 3/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 Tbsp. Honey
• Cooking spray

Wilted Swiss Chard:

• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems sliced and leaves torn
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
• 1 large Shallot, minced
• 1 bunch Scallion whites, finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Black pepper

Crusted Salmon:

• 4 Salmon fillets
• 1 cup Cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp. Blackening seasoning (or an equal combination of chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, granulated garlic, and dried parsley)
• Vegetable oil
• Butter

Crema:

• 1/ cup Sour Cream, or other cultured dairy
• 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
• Zest of 1/2 Lime
• 1 pinch of Salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven lowest setting.
2. Make corn cake batter by combining cornmeal, all purpose flour, baking powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.  Add corn, scallion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime zest and mix to combine.  Add milk and honey, and combine for a completed batter.  Preheat a pan or griddle pan on medium heat.
3. In a large pot, melt butter for the Swiss chard and begin to sweat the shallot and scallion over medium-low heat.  Add the Swiss chard stems, salt, and black pepper and continue to sweat until they are 75% cooked.  Turn off the heat.
4. Begin making the corn cakes using a 1/2 cup measuring cup to portion the cakes.  Spray your pan with cooking spray before each new cake begins cooking.  As they begin to finish, put the cakes on a baking dish or cookie tray to keep warm as you finish cooking.
5. If salmon fillets are skin on, score through the skin on an angle with a sharp knife.  Be careful to cut through the skin, but not through the flesh.  Combine cornmeal and blackening seasoning in a shallow dish.  Pat salmon dry using a paper towel and then coat both sides of the fillets with the cornmeal mixture.  Begin to Preheat a cast iron or large sauté pan over medium heat.
6. In a small bowl combine all ingredients for the crema, and chill in the refrigerator until needed.
7. Add vegetable oil and butter in the preheated pan for the salmon.  Once melted, stir the butter into the oil and place the fillets into the pan with the skin side down.  Let this cook for at about four minutes per side until you have reached your desired cooking temperature.
8. As your salmon is cooking, add the Swiss chard leaves to the pan with the sweating shallot, scallion, and stems.  Turn pan on to medium high heat, add a 1/4 cup of water, and cover the pot with a lid.  In about 4 minutes the Swiss chard should be fully cooked and ready to eat.
9. With every component finished and hot, begin plating with the corn cakes at the bottom of each plate.  Place a serving of Swiss chard on the corn cake and then a fillet of salmon set leaning on the Swiss chard.  To finish, top the salmon with a dollop of crema and lime zest.