Ingredients
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/4 cup gin
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 teaspoon chopped whole juniper berries
1 teaspoon dried or brined green peppercorns, optional
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons butter
6 pimiento-stuffed queen olives, sliced into rings
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Preparation
Step 1
Place the shallots, gin, vermouth, juniper berries, and green peppercorns in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons liquid. Add the cream and reduce to 1/4 cup.
Step 2
Strain and return the liquid to the saucepan (discard the solids). Whisk in the butter. Add the olives and season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and a little pepper. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the salmon.
From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.
Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.
Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.
