Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet Recipes

Fort Langley Salmon in Cranberry Vinegar Sauce

This colourful dish proves that cranberries and salmon are a tasty combination.

Origin: Fort Langley National Historic Site
Region: West (British Columbia)
Period: 20^th Century - present
Course: Main Course

Engraving of salmon
Public Domain, Reproduced from The Victorian Kitchen, Jennifer Davies

While this recipe does not date back to the days when Fort Langley was an active trading post, it does bring together two key ingredients that helped to put this fort – and the Hudson’s Bay Company – on the map. Established in 1827, the fort maintained a good and peaceful trade in furs, salmon, and cranberries with the local native inhabitants. As the trading post grew, records show that local cranberries found their way to California, and Fraser River salmon was enjoyed as far away as Hawaii!

Fort Langley Salmon in Cranberry Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients:

• ½ cup | 125 ml unsalted butter, clarified
• 2 small cloves of garlic
• 2 small shallots, minced
• 4 x 8 oz | 4 x 225 g salmon filets
• 6 tbsp | 90 ml cranberry vinegar
• 2 cups | 500 ml fish stock
• 1 cup | 250 ml unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:

• Cranberry Vinegar: Make 1-2 weeks ahead. Place fresh cranberries in a glass or ceramic bowl; crush. Cover with cider vinegar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, cutting a small hole in the cover to allow the vinegar to breathe. Store in a cool place for 1-2 weeks. Strain and bottle. Refrigerate.
• Salmon:Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
• In an oven-proof skillet, heat the clarified butter, garlic and shallots over medium-high heat. Sauté the salmon filets quickly on one side; turn filets and add vinegar and stock. Sauté quickly for less than 30 seconds. Cover skillet with foil and bake in the oven until the fish is cooked, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the fish carefully from the pan and keep warm.
• Over high heat, reduce the pan juices to one-third. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the unsalted butter, a spoonful at a time. Arrange the salmon on a warm platter. Cover with sauce.

Credits:

Recipe tested by Chef Scott Warrick, Algonquin College School of Hospitality and Tourism

This recipe comes from Anita Stewart, Anita Stewart's Country Inns Cookbook, Stoddart, 1987.