Salmon Con Ternera

This is surf and turf taken to another level entirely. Salmon con ternera ("salmon with veal," though this version uses beef round steak) layers poached salmon on top of pounded beef, then crowns it with a garlicky bread crumb crust, diced ham, and shrimp. It sounds extravagant, and it is.

The salmon gets a quick poach first in water with onion rings, a bay leaf, and peppercorns. Five minutes is all it needs. This gentle cook keeps the fish moist and infuses it with aromatic flavor before it goes on top of the beef for the final bake.

Pounding the round steak thin is key. It needs to cook through in the same time the bread crumbs turn golden and the shrimp warm up. If the beef is too thick, the topping will burn before the steak is done.

Lemon juice in the bread crumb mixture brightens the whole stack and keeps the richness of butter, ham, and two proteins from becoming heavy.

Kitchen Tips

• Pound the beef between plastic wrap to prevent tearing. Aim for about ¼ inch thickness.
• Don’t overcook the salmon during poaching. It will cook further in the oven, so slightly underdone is ideal at this stage.
• Use fine, dry bread crumbs for the crust. Fresh crumbs won’t crisp properly.
• Let the assembled dish rest for 5 minutes after baking so the layers hold together when plating.

Variations

• Use veal cutlets instead of beef round steak for the traditional Spanish preparation.
• Swap the shrimp for crab meat for an even more luxurious topping.
• Add a squeeze of lemon and capers over the top just before serving for a briny, bright finish.