Wild Salmon with Pumpkin & Mushroom Purée, Crispy Rice, & Sweet Ferns

Ingredients

Crispy Topping

• 0.5 cups Cereal, Rice Crisp
• 1 cup Sweet Fern Leaves (fresh, foraged, rinsed/dried)

Salmon & Purée

• 1 pound Salmon, Wild (Fillet, Frozen, thawed)
• 1 can 15.5 oz can Pumpkin (No Salt Added)
• 1 can 10.5 oz can Cream of Mushroom Soup (Condensed, Reduced Sodium)
• 3 tablespoons Oil (Vegetable)
• 4 tablespoons Butter (Salted, cold, divided)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• 3 ounces Soy Suace (optional, divided)
• 2.25 teaspoons Ginger Powder (optional, divided)
• 2 ounces Hot Sauce (optional)

Instructions

Crispy Topping

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Rough chop sweet ferns.
3. Spread rice crispy cereal, followed by the chopped sweet ferns,on an oiled sheet tray. Shake the tray until the cereal and ferns are evenly coated in oil.
4. Roast in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Salmon

1. While the topping bakes, cut the salmon fillet into 4 equal portions. 
2. Heat an ovenproof frying pan (stainless steel, or cast iron) on high with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
3. Season salmon fillets with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. When oil is hot, sear salmon skin side down for 2-3 minutes
   (depending on thickness of the cut), being careful to reduce heat
   or remove pan from heat if the oil starts to smoke
5. When the salmon fillets have cooked halfway, drop heat to medium.
6. Sprinkle ginger on the fillets and add the soy sauce to the pan. Swirl the soy sauce and oil around the pan to infuse the salmon pieces evenly.
7. Add 1 Tbsp of butter to the pan, and remove the pan from heat
8. Baste the salmon by carefully tilting the pan and spooning the
   flavorful juices over the pieces until the top of the salmon fillets
   begins to look golden.
9. Place salmon fillets on a wire rack positioned on a baking sheet. Reserve and set aside the cooking liquid in the frying pan. 
10. Place baking sheet in preheated oven until salmon is cooked through (approximately 5 to 10 minutes). 
11. Remove the salmon from the oven and allow it to rest for 5 minutes at room temperature right before serving.

Purée

1. While the salmon bakes, heat a small amount of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushroom soup and pumpkin. Stir until well combined and cook until simmering. Add water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
2. If some spiciness is desired, stir in hot sauce to taste.
3. Stir in 3 Tbsp of butter to finish.
4. Set aside to cool until the salmon and topping finish baking.

Plating

1. To serve, spread a layer of puree on a plate or bowl. Place cooked salmon in the center of the puree. Drizzle a spoonful of the reserved liquid from cooking over the salmon. Sprinkle the sweet fern and rice crispy topping over the salmon.