Name: Barely Cooked Salmon with Parmesan Polenta and Mushroom Consommé
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours and 25 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound button mushrooms; 10 cups water; Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper; 1 pound gyromitre or morel mushrooms (see Note); 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 tablespoon chopped shallots; 1 tablespoon chopped garlic; 7 to 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter; 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 cups milk; 1/3 cup instant polenta; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan; One 2 1/2-pound salmon fillet

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Bowl Custard and Culinary

Barely Cooked Salmon with Parmesan Polenta and Mushroom ConsomméShimon and Tammar Rothstein

Editor's note: This recipe is excerpted from Eric Ripert and Michael Ruhlman's book the A Return To Cooking.

To read more about Ripert, click here.

Here salmon is poached simply in salt water and served very rare with mushrooms and a mushroom broth, along with creamy polenta. The polenta adds a starch that the salmon needs, but it is also delicate and won't overwhelm the flavors of the fish. Mushrooms and polenta are a great classical pair, and a sturdy, satisfying match for the meaty salmon.

NOTE:

We used the very earthy gyromitre mushrooms for this recipe, but as some types are toxic if uncooked, and all are difficult to find, we offer morels as a substitute.

Recipe notes

Charred Vegetable Ragù

This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!

Tuna Melt Nachos

Love a tuna melt? Meet your new favorite nachos—fast and filling all thanks to tinned fish.

Beef Stroganoff Ramen

This traditional dish of beef, sour cream, and mustard may have originated in Russia, but it’s about time for a version with ramen noodles, don’t you think?

Frijoles de la Olla Ramen (Mexican Stewed Beans)

Traditionally, this Mexican staple is simmered for hours in an olla, or clay pot. You can achieve a similar result by using canned beans and instant ramen.

Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.

Tortellini in Preserved Lemon Brodo

A quick-fix dinner thanks to store-bought tortellini and chicken broth.

Halloumi Lasagna

In this lasagna, soft layers of pasta and béchamel are interspersed with a rich tomato sauce laden with hearty Mediterranean vegetables.

Berberger Pasta

This comforting cheeseburger-inspired pasta from Kiano Moju is bolstered by berbere spice.