Executive Chef Kevin Doherty Appetizer

Lake Michigan Pan Seared Yellow Perch, Wild Rice Pilaf, Summer Succotash, Almonds, Brown Butter

Brine for fish

Ingredients

4 grams of peppercorns
10 grams of fresh tarragon
1 each celery stalk
1 each orange peel
100 grams of kosher salt
400 grams of water

Steps

1. 1. Add all items to pot and bring to boil, let cool completely  

Yellow Perch Fillets (500 grams) total

Steps

1. 1. Trim fillet to 50 gram portions (keep skin on)
2. 2. Keep the trim and belly meat from fillets, remove skin and reserve for salad (recipe to follow)
3. 3. Place fish portions in cold brine, let sit 10 minutes, drain wash off and pat dry, reserve for service
4. 4. At service, heat some oil in a medium size pan suitable for holding all 8 pieces, place skin side down into the hot oil, cook three minutes on medium high heat, season flesh side with kosher salt and black pepper.
5. 5. Flip the fish and adjust heat to low, finish cooking fish for 1 minute and reserve while sauce is made, then serve at once

Smoked Perch Salad

Ingredients

3.5 oz perch trim, no skin/no bones
2 oz wood chips – any type
1 each roma tomato (take out core and X the bottom)
1.5 oz mayonnaise
1 sprig tarragon – wash, chopped fine
1 small sprig curly parsley – wash, chop fine

Steps

1. 1. Place wood chips in small aluminum pan, with wire rack on top 
2. 2. Lay perch scraps on wire rack, place tomato next 
3. 3. Cover with foil, place on low flame and begin to smoke
4. 4. Keep on fire 5-6 minutes as smoke develops the small pieces of fish will cook as well
5. 5. Wash and chop the herbs while fish is cooking/smoking
6. 6. Remove tomato from pan, peel skin off, discard skin
7. 7. Cut the tomato in half (top/bottom) squeeze out all seeds, discard liquid and seeds
8. 8. Press the half flat with your hand and chop small, reserve this as this goes into the mixture
9. 9. Once the fish is cool, place in small bowl flake fish with a fork, add chopped tomato, herbs, mayo and salt pepper.
10. 10. This will be shaped with 2 spoons to form a quenelle (3-sided shape)

Wild Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

30 grams of unsalted butter
40 grams of chopped onion
20 grams of chopped celery
100 grams of wild rice
1 small bouquet garni (thyme, parsley stem, bay leaf) tied with string
220 grams of water (fish or chicken stock is okay)
25 grams of unsalted butter to be added at the time of completion
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Steps

1. 1. Place first bit of butter in pan over med heat to melt
2. 2. Add onions and celery, cook 3-4 minutes till translucent
3. 3. Add rice, stir to coat and cook one minute, add bouquet garni
4. 4. Add the water, let this come up to simmer, cover with lid (parchment paper, foil or metal lid)
5. 5. Place in moderate oven 325-350 for 10-14 min, till cooked – check for doneness
6. 6. Add remaining butter, salt and pepper to taste 
7. 7. Remove bouquet garni reserve warm for service

Summer Succotash

Ingredients

1 each fresh summer corn (about 80 grams)
50 gram chopped onion
75 gram red pepper diced small
50 gram celery stalks, wash and dice small
100 gram fresh fava bean, remove from pod, blanched and then peeled
50 gram shallot
50 gram unsalted butter
1 small bunch parsley washed, chopped fine
1 small bunch basil chopped fine

Steps

1. 1. Remove corn from husk
2. 2. Use a knife to cut corn kernels off corn cob, reserve
3. 3. Peel and dice onion, wash and dice red pepper and celery
4. 4. Place a small pot of salted water on stove to blanch fava beans (have ice ready to stop the cooking process), once water comes to a boil add shelled fava, blanch for 5 minutes, then place into ice till cool, once cool they can be peeled and reserve.
5. 5. Peel the shallot and slice very thin into rings.
6. 6. Once all vegetables have been prepared add butter to medium size pan, med low heat, add shallots and onion. Cook 4-6 minutes till soft, add peppers celery and corn next, mix well and cook 3-4 minutes longer or until soft and add fava beans and chopped herbs. This can be kept at room temp for service
7. 7. Check seasoning with salt and pepper

Brown Butter and Almonds for fish garnish

Ingredients

1 small bunch curly parsley, washed and chopped fine ½ lemon left from above in the recipe (juiced)
3 oz unsalted butter
1.5 oz sliced toasted almonds

Steps

1. 1. Heat butter in small pan over low heat, until it starts to brown and smell like toasted hazelnuts
2. 2. Add the chopped parsley to the hot butter off the fire and quickly add a touch of the lemon juice and the almonds, this mixture will be poured over the fish just before service to the guest