Salmon Fillets Baked in Grape-Leaf Wraps

Varietal: Dry Rosé

Serves 4

In this original recipe of mine, which appears in the wonderful compilation cookbook, “Cooking with Les Dames d’Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink” (Sasquatch Books, 2008), I illustrate how to use grape leaves to protect the delicate flesh of salmon fillets as they bake. The leaves add an earthy look, as well as a pleasantly salty flavor and a bit of suspense as guests unwrap their entrée and discover a rich paste of fresh basil and sun-dried tomatoes topping the salmon inside the packets. You can choose to eat the grape leaves or not. Wine pairing is a bit complex due to the brininess of the capers and grape leaves, but you can’t go wrong with a silky Washington or California dry Rosé with lots of notes of fresh strawberries, raspberries, and rose petals.

Olive Oil

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves (about 4 to 5 sprigs of fresh basil, stemmed)

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

4 teaspoons capers, drained and rinsed

24 preserved grape leaves (about half a 16-ounce jar)

Four 6-ounce salmon fillets, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, skinned and boned, rinsed, and patted dry

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 teaspoons unsalted butter, cold (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes and reserve 1 tablespoon of the oil. (Some oil will continue to cling to the tomatoes; this is okay. If draining the tomatoes does not yield 1 tablespoon of oil, add olive oil to make up the difference.) Coarsely chop the tomatoes and add with the reserved oil to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the basil, garlic, and capers, and process until the ingredients are finely chopped and form a thick paste. Scrape down the sides of bowl two or three times as needed to blend the mixture completely. Scoop the tomato-basil paste into a small bowl and set aside.

2. Lay out 6 of the grape leaves on a large cutting board so they form a patch approximately 10 by 10 inches. The dull side of the leaf (the side with the protruding veins) should face up so the shiny outside of the leaf faces out when fillets are wrapped. The grape leaf patch should be large enough to accommodate a salmon fillet, with enough overlapping to wrap the salmon completely.

3. Place a salmon fillet in the center of the grape leaves. Lightly sprinkle the fillet with salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 4 grinds of black pepper per fillet). For each fillet, cut 2 teaspoons of cold butter into 4 pieces and dot evenly over the fillet. With a spatula, spread one quarter of the tomato-basil paste over the top of the fish. Fold the grape leaves, first from the top and bottom, then from the right and left sides toward the center, overlapping. Place the salmon packet on the baking sheet seam side down. Repeat this process with the remaining grape leaves and fillets.

4. Cook the packets for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the degree of doneness desired. To test for doneness, cut into the center of a packet with the tip of a small, sharp knife and pull the salmon apart gently. If it is still slightly translucent in the center, it is cooked medium rare. If it is opaque in the center, it is well done. Be very careful not to overcook, as the salmon will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven.

5. Place the packets on dinner plates and serve immediately, allowing guests to open their own packets. Or you can open the packets part way so that just a bit of the steamy fish peeks through.

Cook’s Hints: (1) The recipe uses about half of a jar of preserved grape leaves. Those not used can be rewound and repacked into the jar with their brine; add water if necessary to cover the leaves. (2) The packets can be prepared up to the point of cooking early in the day and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature for about an hour, then bake immediately before serving.

Recipe reprinted from Cooking with Les Dames d’Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink (Sasquatch Books, 2008).