Almond crusted salmon with strawberry demi-glace sauce

Ingredients

Strawberry sauce
12 fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 cup ice water
1/4 cup black raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord

Salmon
4 (7-oz.) salmon fillets
1/2 cup flour, for dusting
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup demi-glace sauce (see note)

Directions

For strawberry sauce: Mix strawberries, sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, transfer to a blender and blend. Strain to remove strawberry seeds. Return sauce to stove and bring to a boil. Stir in lemon juice. Meanwhile, mix cornstarch and 1/8 cup water in a small bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce to thicken to desired consistency. Stir in liqueur. Sauce can be made ahead and stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Use leftovers for desserts and dressings.

For salmon: Dust salmon with flour, then dip in egg. Press salmon against almonds to create a crust on the top layer of the salmon. Pour olive oil into a hot pan and lay salmon almond side down. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

To serve: Heat demi-glace sauce and 1/4 cup of the strawberry sauce. Pour sauce on plates and lay a salmon fillet on top. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

Note: Demi-glace sauce is a rich brown sauce that can be purchased at specialty stores or made from scratch. Brown gravy is a possible substitute.

Serves 4