Salmon with Roasted Shiitakes and Mushroom Sauce

• Recipe by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

In mushroom season, Vongerichten makes this salmon dish with fresh porcinis at Jean Georges. Mushrooms and mushroom syrup add intense flavor to the fish, which is seared until the skin is crisp and the flesh is barely cooked. Sliced jalapeño and lemon juice, sprinkled on just before serving, offset the salmon's richness and provide a little bite.

Ingredients

1. 3 tablespoons olive oil
2. 1 pound small shiitake mushrooms, stems reserved to make Mushroom Syrup
3. 16 medium garlic cloves
4. 1 jalapeño, sliced 1 inch thick
5. Salt
6. 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
7. Four 6-ounce salmon fillets with skin
8. Freshly ground white pepper
9. 1/4 cup Mushroom Syrup
10. Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet until very hot. Add the olive oil, shiitake mushroom caps, garlic and jalapeño slices and stir well. Season with salt. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the shiitake caps, stirring a few times, for about 20 minutes, or until richly browned and crisp.
2. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the grapeseed oil. Season the salmon fillets with salt and white pepper and add them to the skillet, skin side down. Cook the salmon over high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to moderate and cook until the skin is browned and very crisp, about 12 minutes longer. Turn and cook the salmon for 2 minutes on the other side, until barely cooked through.
3. Transfer the salmon fillets to plates, skin side up. Gently lift the skin off the salmon and lean it against the fillet. Spoon the roasted shiitake caps on the salmon. Drizzle the plates with mushroom syrup and serve with the lemon wedges.

Make Ahead

The Mushroom Syrup can be refrigerated overnight. Melt it in a microwave oven before serving.