Salmon & Risotto
The Assignment
Produce one restaurant-ready plate containing a 4-ounce skin-on salmon portion with shallow scored, crisp skin; carrot risotto finished with Parmesan; and a reduced chicken demi-glace pan sauce mounted with cold butter. The final plate must be complete, clean, hot, and presented within one hour.
Success Standard
Salmon skin is dry, evenly scored, golden, crisp, and presented facing up.
Salmon is moist and properly cooked; use 140°F as the food-safety target unless the instructor gives another approved standard.
Risotto flows gently on the plate, with rice that is creamy but still has a slight bite.
Carrot flavor and color are clear; Parmesan supports rather than overwhelms the risotto.
Demi sauce is glossy, balanced, nappé consistency, and does not break after mounting with cold butter.
Sauce is placed around or beneath the salmon (never over the crisp skin.)
Ingredients - One Plated Portion
Skin-on salmon portion
4 oz
Salmon
Kosher salt, black pepper, neutral oil
As needed / 1 tsp oil
Carrot puree
Carrot, peeled and sliced
4 oz
Carrot puree
Warm chicken stock
2-3 Tbsp, as needed
Risotto
Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry
Risotto
Hot chicken stock
1 1/2-2 cups
Risotto
Minced Onion
1 Tbsp
Risotto
Butter or olive oil
1 tsp
Risotto
Finely grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp
Pan sauce
Chicken demi-glace
1/3 cup
Pan sauce
Minced Onion
1 tsp
Pan sauce
Water
2 Tbsp
Pan sauce
Cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 Tbsp
Finish
Salt and black pepper
As needed
SOW PROJECT | TIMED CULINARY PRACTICAL
60-Minute Production Plan
Time
Milestone
What must happen
0-5
Set the station
Sanitize, wash hands, gather tools, heat stock, start carrot cooking water.
5-15
Carrots + mise en place
Cook carrots until fully tender. Mince shallots, grate Parmesan, cube cold butter. Pat salmon very dry and score the skin shallowly.
15-20
Build the puree
Drain carrots well. Puree until completely smooth, using only enough warm stock to move the blade. Hold warm.
20-23
Set all pans
Preheat salmon pan. Set risotto pot and sauce pan. Confirm hot stock, tasting spoon, clean plate, and towel.
23-44
Cook risotto
Sweat shallot, toast Arborio, then add hot stock in stages while stirring. Control heat and absorption.
34-43
Reduce the sauce
Sweat shallot, deglaze with wine or water, reduce nearly dry, add demi-glace, and reduce to nappé consistency.
43-52
Sear salmon
Season just before cooking. Sear skin-side down, press briefly to prevent curling, cook mostly on the skin, then turn to finish.
50-55
Finish together
Fold carrot puree into risotto. Finish with Parmesan and adjust consistency. Remove sauce from heat and mount with cold butter.
55-58
Plate
Risotto first, salmon skin-up, sauce around the fish. Wipe the rim and check balance, height, color, and cleanliness.
58-60
Present + reset
Deliver the plate, state completion time, and leave the station safe and orderly.
Method & Critical Technique
1. Cook and puree the carrots.
Simmer sliced carrots in lightly salted water until completely tender. Drain thoroughly. Blend smooth with a small amount of warm stock. The puree must be silky, concentrated, and not watery.
2. Start the risotto.
Sweat the shallot without browning. Add Arborio rice and toast 1-2 minutes until the edges look translucent. Add hot stock gradually, stirring often and allowing each addition to absorb before adding more.
3. Build the chicken demi pan sauce.
Sweat the shallot. Deglaze with wine or water and reduce nearly dry. Add chicken demi-glace and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Hold warm, but do not boil after mounting.
4. Prepare and sear the salmon.
Dry the skin completely. Make shallow, evenly spaced scores through the skin only - do not cut deeply into the flesh. Season just before cooking. Place skin-side down in a properly heated, lightly oiled pan. Press gently for the first 20-30 seconds, then cook mostly on the skin side. Turn briefly to finish.
5. Finish the risotto.
When the rice is nearly done, fold in enough carrot puree for clear flavor and color. Add Parmesan. Adjust with hot stock so the risotto spreads slowly when the plate is tapped. Taste and season.
6. Mount the sauce.
Take the reduced sauce off direct heat. Whisk in cold butter a few cubes at a time until glossy and emulsified. If the sauce boils after this point, the emulsion may break.
7. Plate.
Spoon or shape the carrot risotto. Place salmon with crisp skin facing up. Spoon sauce around the salmon or beneath
SOW PROJECT | TIMED CULINARY PRACTICAL
NON-NEGOTIABLE: Do not flood the risotto with carrot puree, do not boil the mounted sauce, and do not pour sauce over the salmon skin.
