Recipe
Recipe

Ingredients
Chimayo chile dust
- ⅔ cup chimayo/red New Mexican chile
- 1tbsp oregano, ground
- 1tbsp cumin, ground
- 1tbsp granulated garlic
- 1tbsp granulated onion
- 1tsp sea salt
- 2tsp brown sugar, granulated
Chilli oil
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup chili powder, generic
- ½ cup chipotle chili, ground
- 2tsp shallots, freshly peele and minced
- 2 cups corn oil
Charred lime aioli
- 1 cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 2tbsp charred lime zest (8 limes required)
- 2tbsp spring onions, blanched and finely minced
- 1tsp roasted garlic, pureed
- sea salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
Sweet corn tamale cake
- 1½ cups sweet corn kernels
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¼ cup goats cheese
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup yellow masa, finely ground
- ⅛ cup all-purpose flour
- 2tbsp pine nuts
- sea salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
Pico de gallo
- 1 cup heirloom tomatoes
- ½ cup red onions, peeled and diced
- ⅛ cup jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and minced
- ¼ cup fresh coriander, chopped
- fresh lime juice to taste
- sea salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
Additional ingredients required for assembly
- 85g NZ King salmon
- 4tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

Seafood used

Cooking method
Chimayo chile dust
- Combine chile, cumin and oregano in a bowl and stir until smoothly integrated.
- Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over high heat. Add spice mix and toast. Remove from direct heat and cool.
- Transfer to bowl, add remaining ingredients & toss.
- Place in spice grinder or mortar & pestle and grind until garlic and onion particles reduce in size & set aside.
Chili oil
- Place all ingredients except oil in saucepan.
- Set over medium heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until almost dry.
- Whisk in oil.
- Bring to 200°F/95°C, then remove from heat and cool completely.
- Strain through fine chinois strainer into a clean bowl - discard solids. Transfer vinaigrette to plastic squeeze bottle & set aside.
Charred lime aioli
- Cut limes in half and char over open flame then zest into a bowl. Discard limes. It takes about 4 limes to make 1tbsp.
- Combine mayonnaise, lime zest, spring onions and garlic in food processor. Pulse until very smooth and season to taste.
- Transfer to container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Sweet corn tamale cake
- Place corn in food processor and lightly chop.
- Add all ingredients except salt and pepper and pulse until smooth and season to taste.
- Transfer to tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Pico de gallo
- Combine all ingredients except salt, pepper and lime juice in bowl and toss.
- Season with salt, pepper and lime juice.
- Transfer to clean container. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To serve
- Put chimayo chile dust in a small tray or on a plate.
- Roll salmon in chimayo chile dust until coated on all sides.
- Heat cast iron skillet until very hot. Sear top side of salmon to get a nice crust, 1-2 minutes.
- Finish in 375°F/190°C oven to desired internal doneness.
- Return skillet to medium heat. Add 2tbsps butter and rapidly baste salmon with butter. Transfer salmon to a plate lined with a towel.
- Let excess butter be absorbed by the towel.
- Place salmon on warm plate.
- Pan sear sweet tamale corn cake in pre-heated pan over medium heat in remaining 2tbsps of unsalted butter to heat and caramelize.
- Place sweet tamale corn cake & pico de gallo next to salmon. Spoon some charred lime aioli on salmon and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy Nurtured Seafood and image Patrick McDonnell Photography