Wild salmon steamed with cherry tomatoes and sage flower-tomato consommé

Total time: 1 hour, plus overnight draining of tomatoes

Servings: 4

Note: From Mélisse chef Josiah Citrin. Prepare the consommé a day before serving.

8 beefsteak tomatoes

1 teaspoon sea salt

In a food processor, purée the beefsteak tomatoes and salt. Pour the purée into a large bowl lined with a double layer of cheesecloth. Tie up the tomato purée with the cheesecloth and then tie it to a wooden spoon and suspend it across a large pot to collect the liquid. Or you can use a large chinois. Drain overnight in the refrigerator.

Salt

24 cherry tomatoes (red, orange, yellow), scored with an X on the bottom

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chive blossoms plus 12 blossoms for garnish

1 recipe tomato consommé

1/4 cup sage flowers plus 24 flowers for garnish

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

3 sprigs fresh basil

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

4 (6-ounce) wild salmon

fillets, skin removed

Sea salt

Freshly ground white

pepper

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add salt (about 1 tablespoon per quart of water) and blanch the cherry tomatoes in the water, about 1 minute. Refresh in ice water. Peel the skin off (this is easy if the tomatoes are scored), cut them in half and place them in a bowl.

2. Season with one-quarter teaspoon salt, the pepper and the olive oil. Mix in 1 tablespoon chive blossoms, and let the tomatoes macerate at room temperature.

3. In a medium saucepan, bring the tomato consommé to a boil and add one-quarter cup of sage flowers, reserving the rest for garnish. Remove the consommé from the heat and cover. Let the consommé infuse for 8 minutes. Taste and infuse for longer if necessary; the sage should not be too strong but should have an aromatic flavor.

4. Season the consommé with salt and pepper to taste, strain out the flowers and keep the consommé warm.

5. In a steamer (or a sauté pan fitted with a rack) filled with 2 cups of water, add the white wine, peppercorns, basil, lemon and shallot. Bring to a boil on high heat. Continue to boil, covered, for 5 minutes.

6. Season the salmon fillets lightly with sea salt and white pepper. Steam the fillets over the prepared liquid on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

7. Place each salmon fillet in the center of a soup plate. Spoon macerated tomatoes over the top and sprinkle with the reserved sage flowers and chive blossoms. Ladle the consommé around the salmon and serve immediately.

Each serving: 303 calories; 37 grams protein; 16 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 80 mg. cholesterol; 649 mg. sodium.