Wild King Salmon with Four Citrus Flavors and Cilantro Crust

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon preserved lemon zest (instructions below; fresh zest will also work)
• 1/2 cup tomato confit (remaining from Petite Wild Mushroom Cassoulet with Tomato Confit and Crunchy Shoestring Potato Topping recipe)
• 1 cup tomato olive oil (remaining from Petite Wild Mushroom Cassoulet with Tomato Confit and Crunchy Shoestring Potato Topping recipe)
• 1 teaspoon lemon thyme
• 1 tablespoon key lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 cup concentrated chicken stock or fish stock (preferably homemade), room temperature
• 1 teaspoon shallots, finely minced
• 4 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• French bread, day-old
• 4 6-oz. filets wild king salmon
• Cracked black peppercorn and kosher or grey salt to taste
• 8 medium potatoes, cubed and roasted

Directions

1. Preserving the lemons takes 4 months. Quarter split, without cutting through, as many ripe organic lemons as you want. They should look like four wedges connected at the stem end.
2. Put lemons in large sterile glass jar.
3. Fill jar with kosher or sea salt, roll jar to cover and coat lemons.
4. Store in dry place for at least 4 months.
5. When ready, rinse and cut away the pulp of the lemon, use only the delicately flavored skin.
6. To prepare the broth, combine confit, oil, thyme, lime juice, stock, and shallots; simmer at very low heat for 1 hour.
7. Add freshly chopped cilantro leaves to broth just before serving.
8. To prepare the crust, separately cube 2 cups day-old French bread.
9. Toast slightly in oven.
10. Crush with the bottom of a clean skillet. Discard the powder that remains from the breadcrumbs.
11. Combine the crunchy crumbs with fresh cilantro and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves from the tomato olive oil. Set aside.
12. To prepare the salmon, brush salmon filets lightly with tomato olive oil and salt and cracked pepper to taste.
13. Place on hot grill. For the best texture, undercook slightly.
14. Place salmon in a shallow bowl on top of some roasted potatoes, pour some broth over filets and top with crouton crust. The crust provides a flavor burst and the essential textural contrast.