In this dish, the Tasmanian ocean trout is covered with wild thyme and sits on a bed of braised celery as it slowly roasts at 225ºF. The result is a highly aromatic piece of fish that is so smooth, it literally has no texture as it melts in your mouth like butter. Thus, the contrast of pairing it with the pungent red wine risotto is all the more dramatic. This dish is extremely satisfying, a real good-for the-soul food.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 clove garlic - minced
½ cup Spanish onions - diced
2 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon butter
1 cup aborio rice - uncooked
1 cup red wine reduction
1 cup woodear mushrooms - roasted & chopped salt and pepper
4 (3 oz) pcs Tasmanian ocean trout
4 stalks celery - peeled & cut into long thin strips
1 ½ cups fresh thyme
1 cup thin green asparagus
½ cup veal stock reduction

Method
1. Sweat the garlic and onion in a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the abrorio rice, stir to coat with the onion and garlic, and cook for 3 minutes. Add ½ cup of the red wine reduction and continue to cook over medium-low heat while gently stirring constantly. Once the rice has absorbed the red wine reduction, add the remaining ½ cup, stirring constantly. After all of the red wine reduction is absorbed, add addition ¼ cup of water until the rice is just cooked. (It should be al dente, yet creamy.) Fold in the roasted woodear mushrooms and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper. Place the celery strips on a small sheet pan, creating a rack for the salmon. Place the salmon on top of the celery and cover with 1¼ cups of the fresh thyme. Roast at 225 ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, or until just done. Remove from oven, cut the celery into small dices, and fold into the red wine risotto.
3. Quickly sauté the asparagus in a small pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Warm the veal stock reduction in a small saucepan.

ASSEMBLY
1. Place a mound of the red wine risotto in the center of each plate and top with a piece of the salmon. Arrange some of the tiny white asparagus and remaining fresh thyme on top of the salmon. Spoon the veal stock reduction around the risotto.

RED WINE REDUCTION
Yield ½ cup
1 no Spanish onion - coarsely chopped
1 no carrot - coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery - coarsely chopped
1 no Granny Smith apple - coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp grape-seed oil
1 btl Burgundy -750-ml
2 cups Port
1 cup chicken stock

Method
In a medium saucepan, caramelize the onion, carrot, celery, apple and garlic in the grape-seed oil. Add the Burgundy and the port and simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain and place in a small saucepan with the chicken stock. Continue to simmer over medium heat for 1 hour, or until reduced to ½ cup.

VEAL STOCK REDUCTION
Yield 1¼ cups
10 lb veal bones
2 no carrots - coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery - coarsely chopped
1 no yellow onion - coarsely chopped
1 no leek - cleaned & coarsely chopped
1 no bulb garlic - cut in half
2 tbsp grape-seed oil
½ cup tomato concassee
4 cups dry red wine (such as Burgundy)

Method
Place the bones in a roasting pan and roast in the oven at 450 ºF for 2 hours or until golden brown. When bones are browned, caramelize the carrots, celery, onion, leeks, and garlic in a large stockpot, in the grape-seed oil. Add the tomato concassee and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the red wine and reduce until most of the wine has been cooked out. Add the browned bones and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer over medium heat for 8 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon.

MEYER LEMON PUDDING CAKES WITH CITRUS SALAD

Serves: 8
Ingredients: ¼ cup butter - unsalted
1¼ cups sugar pinch of salt
3 tbsp Meyer lemon zest
6 nos egg yolks
6 tbsp flour
½ cup Meyer lemon juice - freshly squeezed
2 cups milk
8 nos egg whites
1 no grapefruit - peeled & segmented
1 no pomelo - peeled & segmented
2 no orange - peeled & segmented
2 sprig fresh tarragon

Method
1. To make the pudding cakes: Cream the butter, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar, the salt and lemon zest. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour and mix well. Add ¼ cup of the lemon juice and the milk and mix until combined. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the batter. Immediately pour the batter into a plastic wrap-lined 9 by 13-inch pan and bake in a water bath at 325ºF for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Let cool and then invert onto a sheet pan and refrigerate to chill. Use a ring cutter to cut out eight 3-inch circles just prior to serving.
2. For the citrus salad: Cut the grapefruit, pomelo, and orange segments into small pieces and place in a bowl. Chop one sprig of tarragon and mix into the citrus.
3. Assembly: Place a circle of cake in the center of each plate. Arrange some citrus salad on top of the cakes, falling onto the plate. Sprinkle with chopped tarragon