LaChell Miller

LaChell Miller of Frenchtown, N.J.    
Baked Salmon Wrapped with Cabbage and Brick Leaves
 
Miller attends Delval Regional High School, where she is a member of several clubs, including the International Club and Environmental Club, SkillsUSA, and both the Women’s Choir and the Chamber Choir. She also plays piano, and notes that “it’s my therapy; it’s fun and relaxing.” Miller “fell in love with cooking food” at the age of eight, and currently works at the Frenchtown Inn. She credits Chef Andrew Tomko there with teaching her about the culinary industry.
 
Miller plans to focus on Culinary Nutrition; she says, “I want to change the way Americans view healthy food." Indeed, her recipe was originally submitted in the Healthful category. It includes cilantro-lime risotto and a watercress sauce.
 
Baked Salmon Wrapped with Cabbage and Brick Leaves
Ingredients
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
4 Napa Valley cabbage leaves
1 cup ice
1 quart cold water
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 leaves fresh sage
1 sprig fresh thyme
16 ounces salmon
3 eggs, whisked
8 French brick leaves (thin pastry; spring roll wrappers may be substituted)
Cooking spray as needed
 
Method of Preparation
1. Boil 2 quarts water with a tablespoon of salt in a small saucepot.
2. Cut off the tops of the cabbage leaves, then place remaining leaves into boiling water for 20 seconds.
3. Place cabbage in ice cold water bath. Remove and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Pick and chop the fresh herbs and set aside.
5. Skin and trim center cut salmon and cut into four 4-ounce portions.
6. Season filets with fresh herbs, salt, and pepper.
7. Place salmon in the center of one cabbage leaf and roll up the cabbage sides, covering the entire salmon with cabbage.
8. With a pastry brush, place egg wash lightly over the 8 brick leaves – front and back.
9. Place one cabbaged salmon in the center of one brick leaf and starting with the side closest to you, fold the leaf up and over your salmon towards the opposing side. Take the sides and fold them into the center, then roll the cabbaged salmon in the brick leaf upwards tightly. Repeat the process, making a little package. Then repeat the entire process with the other salmon pieces.
10. Place all the salmon seam-side down on a half sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray.
11. Place into a 350 degree oven for 8 minutes or until each salmon wrap feels firm.
12. Remove from the oven and keep warm on a hot water bath.
 
Cilantro-Lime Risotto with Shitake Mushrooms
Ingredients
4 cups low fat/low sodium chicken broth
1/4 pound shitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
1 cup Arborio rice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Salt and white pepper to taste
 
Method of Preparation
1. In a small saucepot, heat the chicken broth for further use.
2. Remove and discard mushroom stems and cut the top half into strips. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil
4. Cook the shallots until translucent, along with the mushrooms and garlic.
5. Add rice to the shallot mixture and coat thoroughly.
6. Slowly pour the broth into the mixture in 1/3 increments, waiting for the rice to absorb the broth before adding more.
7. Once rice resembles a creamy like texture and has a soft taste, incorporate the lime juice, the lime zest, and the cilantro.
8. Finish by adding salt and pepper.
9. Keep warm in a hot water bath.
 
Garlic Asparagus
Ingredients
13 spears medium-size asparagus
1 cup ice
2 cups water
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons low-fat buttery spread (Smart Balance Light)
 
Method of Preparation
1. Rinse asparagus and chop off the bottom ends.
2. In a steamer, steam asparagus for 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Immediately soak asparagus in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process.
4. In a skillet, melt butter and garlic.
5. Coat all the asparagus.
6. Keep over hot water bath until ready to serve.
 
Crispy Carrots
Ingredients
1 cup canola oil
4 small carrots
 
Method of Preparation
1. Heat the canola oil to 350 degrees in a small sauce pot.
2. Peel outside of carrots and discard.
3. Peel the rest of the carrots in thin strips.
4. Place carrots in hot oil and let cook for a few seconds until the strips curl up.
5. With a slotted spoon, lift the carrots out of the hot oil and place on a half sheet pan lined with absorbent paper.
 
Water Cress Sauce
Ingredients
10 stems water cress leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove Method of
 
Preparation
1. Wash water cress and pick leaves from stems.
2. In a food processor, blend together water cress, olive oil, and garlic to a paste mixture. 3. Place mixture in a squirt bottle and hold in refrigerator until further use.
 
Garlic and Clover Sprouts Garnish
Ingredients
4-ounce package of garlic and clover sprouts
 
Method of Preparation
1. Use in presentation for garnishing
 
Plate Presentation
1. Place a ring mold in the center of one dish.
2. Compact the Cilantro-Lime Risotto with Shiitake into the mold until full. Then remove the ring mold.
3. Take one Baked Salmon and cut it down the center, on the bias.
4. Prop both salmon sides, bias-side up, against the risotto.
5. Place sprouts over the rice.
6. Prop three asparagus against the rice and salmon wrap.
7. Place the Crispy Carrots over the sprouts, being careful not to break them.
8. Squirt four drops of watercress sauce on the side of the plate.