2011 Pinot Noir & 2011 Tempranillo – Roasted Salmon with Mushroom Compound Butter

2011 Pinot Noir  Our 2011 Pinot Noir features aromas of dark cherry, wild strawberry, and cedar. This elegant wine has flavors of rose petal and plum with a hint of spearmint. The finish is long and smooth.

2011 Tempranillo  Our 2011 Tempranillo is a bright balanced wine with aromas of boysenberry and orange blossoms. Integrated tannins lead to a zesty finish.

Roasted Salmon with Mushroom Compound Butter

serves 8

½ lb butter, softened
½ c chopped cooked wild mushrooms (fresh or dried)
2 T chopped shallots
1 T lemon juice
¼ c chopped mixed herbs (parsley, thyme and oregano)
2 tsp pepper

Place butter in bowl and mix with hand mixer or stand mixer. Once it is smooth, add the rest of the ingredients and continue to whip until combined. Spread a piece of parchment or wax paper out, and scoop the whipped butter in a line down the center of the paper. Roll one of the edges over the butter, and then roll the whole thing towards the other edge. Roll back and forth a few times to get a cylinder shape. This will keep in your fridge for a week or two, and in your freezer for months.

4 T butter
1 salmon fillet, skin on (2-3 lbs)
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 475. Place butter on rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place sheet in oven and let butter melt. When foam subsides, carefully pull the baking sheet out of the oven and tilt tray so butter runs over most of the surface. Place salmon on top of the melted butter. Sprinkle top of the fillet with salt and pepper and place back in the oven. Roast until salmon is just cooked through, 8-12 minutes. It will flake apart easily when done, and will still be bright pink in the center of the thickest part of the fillet. Remember, it will continue to cook a bit more when you take it out of the oven.

To serve, place a portion of the salmon on the plate. Cut a ¼- ½ inch slice of the compound butter and place it on top.