Recipe Excerpted from
“Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking”
by Iron Chef Morimoto

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SUGARED SALMON with Beet Sorbet and Yuzu Foam

You might be tempted to serve this as a first course, but trust me, it is definitely a dessert, though one that will play tricks on your senses. What is normally savory is made sweet and flavored with sweet spices. There are also some wonderful textures at play, with the gossomer salmon and icy beet sorbet.

• 4 ounces salmon fillet
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup Demerara sugar (raw granulated brown sugar)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 star anise pods, cracked into pieces
• 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• Beet Sorbet (recipe follows)
• 4 fresh mint leaves or small sprigs of mint

1. Holding your knife on an angle, cut the salmon into 8 to 12 very thin slices. Lay out the salmon slices on a large plate or tray and sprinkle them with the salt. Rinse under running water, then return to plate and cover with a towel to absorb the liquid that is exuded.

2. Put the brandy in a small bowl, dip the salmon slices in the brandy, and let sit for 15 minutes.  Cover a dish large enough to hold the salmon with half the sugar. Arrange the slices in a single layer.

3. Combine the remaining brown sugar with the black pepper, star anise, and cinnamon sticks and sprinkle over the salmon. Cover witplastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. To serve, wipe the sugar and spice coating off the salmon. Arrange 2 or 3 pieces of the sugared salmon on each plate. Add a scoop of beet sorbet. Decorate the plate, if you like, with Yuzu Foam and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

BEET SORBET

• 1/2 pound (225 g) beets, trimmed, peeled and quartered
• 3 sheets (2 g each) of unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Boil the beets in a saucepan of water until they are very tender, about 30 to 40 minutes; drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the beets to a blender or food processor and purée; add 3 to 4 tablespoons of the beet cooking water, if necessary, to make a smooth purée.

2. Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water and let stand until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, transfer the beet purée to a non-reactive medium saucepan. Add the sugar and 2 cups of water. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the top and stirring to dissolve the sugar. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatin.

4. Let the beet mixture cool for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and let cool slightly, then cover and
refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours or overnight.

5. Pour the beet mixture into the canister of an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a covered container and freeze until firm enough to scoop, at least 4 hours.

Makes 4 servings