National Honey Board: Food Industry: Chef Robin Schempp

Featured Chef Robin Schempp

Citrus-Honey Lacquered Wild Salmon Right Stuff Enterprises

An amalgam of passionate chef and committed sustainable foods advocate, Robin Schempp is recognized as both a brilliant culinary strategist (she founded Right Stuff Enterprises, a Vermont-based consultancy, in 1992) and veteran culinary crusader. Her Right Stuff Enterprises food, foodservice and beverage clients rely on her vision and creativity for spot-on product and menu concepts and sourcing new channels for business development. As Vice Chair of Chefs Collaborative and President-Emeritus of the Vermont Fresh Network, Robin works to restore the culinary community’s ties to sustainable agriculture and the environment.

Currently at work on a variety of food and beverage menu concepts for the National Honey Board, Robin is pleased to find profession and passion melded in one product: honey. Robin deeply appreciates the intrinsic value of honey as the by-product of pollination, a vital cog in the agricultural process. As an involved member (chair of both the National Nominating and Board Development committees) of the Research Chefs Association, Robin recognizes honey’s ingredient potential as a natural and versatile sweetener. In developing the recipe for Honey-Citrus Lacquered Wild Salmon, Robin demonstrates how easily honey blends with other simple, straightforward ingredients to create a unique flavor profile. “Honey complements the meatiness of the salmon with a distinctive floral sweetness, while enhancing the herb and citrus elements in the glaze,” she says.

In addition to creating honey menu concepts, Robin uses Right Stuff as a nucleus around which a growing list of entrepreneurial extensions orbit, including ChefExpress.net™, an internet distribution company marketing local, regional and artisnal foods. A born multi-tasker, Robin launched Right Stuff while co-owner/operator of The Mist Grill, a café, bakery and roastery with a menu based on locally produced, seasonal foods in Waterbury, Vermont. Robin is also a former National Board of AIWF (American Institute of Wine and Food) and stays active in Slow Food USA, International Association of Culinary Professionals and affiliated food and agriculture organizations.

Citrus-Honey Lacquered Wild Salmon (serves 6)

Chef Robin Schempp - Right Stuff Enterprises

6	fillets wild caught salmon (about 2 lbs.), pin bones removed (use skin-on fillets for grilling)
1/2	cup honey
3/4	cup sweet white wine, such as Riesling or Chenin Blanc
1	Tablespoon citrus zest, grated (pink grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange or a combination)
1/2	cup fresh citrus juice (pink grapefruit or a combination of lemon and orange)
1	Tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced
2	Tablespoons shallots, minced
2	Tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
	Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish: Chopped green onions or chives

Honey Lacquer or Glaze Directions:

Combine the honey, wine, zest, juice, ginger, shallots and mint in a small saucepan, and simmer over moderate heat until reduced in volume by about half, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To Broil:

Preheat the oven with broiler to 400°F, and place rack in upper third of the oven. Place the salmon skin side down in a baking dish in a single layer.

Brush the top of the salmon with the sauce, and bake, basting every 3 minutes, until the fish starts to feel firm to the touch, 6 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven (it should be slightly underdone), and change the oven setting to broil on high. Baste salmon with any additional glaze, and place it under the broiler until the glaze starts to caramelize and the “lacquer” appears to set up, less than 1 minute. Scatter the green onion or chives over top, if desired. Serve immediately.

To Grill:

Preheat and prepare a medium-hot grill.

Brush fish all over with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange the salmon, skin side down, on an oiled grill or grill grid. Brush the top of the salmon with the glaze, and cover with lid. Grill, basting every 3 minutes, until the fish feels firm to the touch, 8 to 15 minutes. Remove fish from the grill (don’t worry of the skin sticks to the grill). If desired, brush with remaining glaze and scatter the green onion or chives over top. Serve immediately.

Recipe tips

The sauce may be made ahead and refrigerated for several days. Warm it briefly before brushing the salmon.
Vary this recipe by altering the wine, citrus components even exchanging the ginger for garlic or the mint for cilantro – use different combinations to suit your taste.
Honey-Citrus Lacquer works well on other fish, such as cod, halibut, striped bass and char.
To prepare a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes and turn to medium
To prepare a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds.
The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the salmon fillet. If in doubt, peek with the point of a knife – the center should still look slightly moist.

Honey Crisp Cocktail

2	oz. Calvados, Apple Jack or Apple eau-de-vie
1/2	oz. ginger brandy
1	oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2	oz. honey syrup*
	Apple slice (preferably Honey Crisp variety)

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an apple slice.