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Steal this savory southwestern salmon entrée

Try this fish dish with flauntas and greens from Executive Chef Gary Pankow of Café Diablo in Torrey, Utah. Check out the recipe

Malia McIlvenna
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updated 12:56 p.m. ET Aug. 16, 2006

Phil Lempert
TODAY Food Editor
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In this special weekly feature, “Today” food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much fun you can have (and money you can save) by cooking these dishes at home.

THIS WEEK: Rubbed Atlantic Salmon Pan Flashed with Caineville Greens, Crab Flautas & Tomato Fondue from Café Diablo in Torrey, Utah

We love it when we get great recommendations and here's one suggested by Shauna B. Here's what she had to say about Café Diablo: “The sign on the door reads, ‘Fast Food is not served here. Good food takes times, please be patient.’” This recipe for Rubbed Atlantic Salmon Pan Flashed with Caineville Greens, Crab Flautas and Tomato Fondue was written down just for us to share with you since Chef Pankow cooks his innovative Southwestern dishes without measuring spoons or cups. Located in Torrey, Utah, Café Diablo is nestled along Utah's scenic Highway 24, a 20-minute drive from mountaintop fishing, isolated lakes, and red cliff shelves overseeing desert vistas. So, you have plenty to do when you're not eating.

Malia McIlvenna
About the chef: Executive Chef Gary Pankow, a native of Detroit, Michigan, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduation he was a private chef on a 100-foot yacht in the Caribbean, then he moved to Utah in 1978 and worked at various places: LaCaille in Salt Lake City, Snowbird Ski Resort, Executive Chef at Deer Valley Resort, Willow Creek Country Club in Salt Lake City, Corporate Chef in Park City, and Executive Chef at Hotel Utah.

Pankow loves sharing his culinary experiences and has been an adjunct instructor at Salt Lake City Community College, focusing on apprentice chefs. In June of 1994, he opened Café Diablo, innovative Southwestern cuisine with local products and organically grown fruits and vegetables.

Currently he also provides signature fruit pies and ice creams for Capitol Reef National Park, caters weddings and business functions, consults restaurant owners, mentors chefs, and is in the process of writing a cookbook.

Rubbed Atlantic Salmon Pan Flashed with Caineville Greens, Crab Flautas & Tomato Fondue is served at Café Diablo for $23. This recipe is for a serving size of two.

Rubbed Atlantic Salmon Pan Flashed with Caineville Greens, Crab Flautas & Tomato Fondue
Chef Gary Pankow of Café Diablo in Torrey, Utah

Serving size of two

INGREDIENTS

Rubbed Atlantic Salmon Ingredients

• 2 7 oz. salmon filets, center cut

Dry Rub

• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cumin powder
• 1/2 Tbsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 Tbsp ground cardamom

Cooking Broth

• 1 Tbsp salad oil
• 1 oz. white wine
• 1 oz. chicken stock
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice

Café Diablo Tomato Cream Sauce Ingredients

• 8 oz. Heavy cream
• 8 oz. Tomato puree thickened with roux

Shortcut Tomato Cream Sauce Ingredients

• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of tomato soup
• 2 oz. heavy cream
• 2 oz. clam juice or use seafood bouillon

Tomato Fondue Ingredients

• Café Diablo Tomato Cream Sauce or Shortcut Tomato Cream Sauce
• 2 oz. lobster broth (if unavailable, substitute clam juice or seafood bouillon)
• 5-6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 oz. cream sherry

Caineville Greens (so called because it comes from an organic farm in Caineville, Utah)

• 2 oz. Swiss chard
• 2 oz. Napa cabbage
• 2 oz. mustard greens
• 2 oz. bok choy
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• pinch of Kosher salt
• 1 oz. cream sherry
• 1 Tbsp salad oil

Crab Flautas Ingredients

• 6 6" corn tortillas
• 2 oz. shelled crab meat
• 1 oz. small white onion, diced
• 1 oz. small red peppers, diced
• 1/2 oz scallion tops, slivered
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• Salad oil

Garnish Ingredients (Optional)

• Radish curls
• Chili powder bread stick
• Sprig of herb (use whatever is in season, Café Diablo is currently using opal basil)

Recipe continues below ↓
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DIRECTIONS

Rubbed Atlantic Salmon Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. Roll filet in dry rub
2. In a sauté pan, add 1 Tbsp salad oil and heat to blister hot
3. Place filet, finish side down
4. Sear
5. Flip over
6. Add chicken stock, white wine and lemon juice
7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
8. Place in oven and cook until down (salmon will be firm to the touch with a little bounce)
9. Do no overcook; center should be a little pink

Tomato Fondue Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. Put the tomato cream sauce in a sauce pan
2. Flavor with lobster broth
3. Bring to a FULL BOIL until smooth and velvety (If it's too thick, thin with more cream, if it's too thin, thicken with roux or corn starch)
4. Whisk in shredded mozzarella cheese until smooth (If the sauce is too thin, the cheese will fall to the bottom and burn)
Note: The above can be reheated with no problem
5. Salt to taste
6. Finish by adding cream sherry

Caineville Greens Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. In a sauté pan develop the garlic in hot oil
2. Add rough chopped greens
3. Cook quickly and salt
4. Finish by adding cream sherry

Crab Flautas Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. Soften corn tortillas by dipping in hot oil
2. Place crab filling in softened corn tortillas
3. Roll the corn tortilla around the crab filling
4. Take a piece of foil, rolled 1" x 12"
5. Place around rolled corn tortilla
6. Tie with foil 'string' by twisting the ends
7. Fry in deep hot oil until crisp

Assembly Steal This Recipe® step-by-step Instructions
1. Place 3-4 oz. of sauce on each plate
2. Place salmon in the center of the plate
3. Greens go on top of salmon
4. Flautas are placed leaning on the greens
The following is optional:
5. Fluff radish curls on  
6. Herb sprig goes on top
7. Add a breadstick

MANAGE YOUR RECIPES


  Before You Bite with Phil Lempert
Keep your kids happy with healthy snacks
Lobster ice cream? The scoop on new flavors
Fire up the grill and don’t hold the pickles!
What exactly is molecular gastronomy?
What you should know about cheese
Café Diablo
599 West Main Street Street
Torrey, Utah 84775
435-425-3070
www.cafediablo.net

Want to nominate your favorite restaurant dish for a "Steal This Recipe" feature? Just e-mail Phil at Phil.Lempert@nbc.com (or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.

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