Salmon "Huevo Con Limon"

from an Alhadeff family Sephardic (Mediterranean-Jewish) recipe

recreated by Kathy Lindenbaum

serves 6 to 8 as a first course

2 pounds very fresh salmon, cut into 4 or 5 ounce pieces, skin-on

3 whole eggs

4 large lemons (3 juiced and strained, 1 sliced for garnish)

1 bunch parsley, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped

Matzo cake flour (not 'meal')

1 tablespoon salt

pepper to taste

olive oil

Make sure you get the freshest fish possible. We tell the fish purveyor that we need the fish for "sashimi." Make the dish early in the day, or the day before, so that the flavors have a chance to marry.

Wash the fish pieces and pat dry, leaving just enough moisture to help the flour adhere. Then lightly and thoroughly coat each piece with Matzo cake flour on both sides. Put all pieces, skin-side down, in one layer in a large frying pan, and barely cover with water. Add about 4 tablespoons olive oil and the juice of one lemon. Then sprinkle with parsley (saving a tablespoon for garnish), salt and pepper all over. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let fish cool in the pan.

While the fish is cooling, beat the eggs together in a blender, and then slowly add the rest of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons Matzo flour. When thoroughly blended, transfer to a large mixing bowl and slowly add the still hot/warm fish broth from the frying pan, as you whip the egg mixture at the same time. This is best accomplished with 2 people, one holding the covered frying pan with the fish, and "straining" the fish broth into the egg mixture. If you don't have two people, strain the fish broth into another bowl with a pour spout (leaving the fish pieces in the pan), and then slowly pour the broth into the mixing bowl a little at a time, beating in-between.

Pour the egg and fish broth mixture over the fish pieces in the frying pan. Then slowly reheat, and gently shake the pan at the same time to coat the fish, and continue shaking the pan until the sauce thickens. This could take 5 to 10 minutes, but keep the heat low and continuously shake the pan, so that you don't "recook" the fish as you form the "custard" sauce. Remove the pan from heat and let cool. Then refrigerate the pan.

When ready to serve, set the pan out until it reaches room temperature. You can VERY gently reheat to room temperature also. Serve each piece of salmon with a generous amount of sauce, and garnish with parsley.

This dish has traditionally been used at Passover as a substitute for the Eastern European "gefiltefish." It is wonderful all year round as a first course, or as a lighter main course. The sauce is essentially a light savory egg custard, so you may have to practice a bit to get to the desired consistency. But the process is easy to replicate once you've tried it, and the flavors are wonderful!