Curried Quinoa and Salmon: Austin Perkins

CurriedQuinoaSalmon3x2

We are privileged to partner with the finest chefs in the world. Thomas Keller of Per Se and The French Laundry, Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Cat Kora, and Michael Psilakis, to name a few.

We’re featuring dishes from many of our friends on a monthly basis with recipes and stories, like Austin Perkins, formerly of Nick’s Cove, a local favorite.

He grew up in our neighborhood enjoying the coast, its natural beauty and abundant farm produce. Austin likes to keep it simple and let the natural flavor of each ingredient do the talking.

He began at Nick’s Cove Oyster Bar and Cottages in 2008 and contributed to some our first vintner dinners. He took the helm at Nick’s Cove in 2011 as Executive Chef, creating the finest seasonal, sustainable California cuisine from the area’s abundant farms in Marin and Sonoma Counties, including fresh seafood and oysters from Tomales Bay.

Austin has built relationships with local farmers, like ourselves, sourcing ingredients for the menu. Dishes change seasonally as he creates special experiences and events to highlight the bounty of the area. He left Nicks in 2016, but continues to cater throughout the North Bay Area.

The dish we’ve come to love, the Curried Quinoa with Fresh Salmon and Aioli, he developed to pair with our Dry Gewurztraminer in his early days at Nick’s. We use it to highlight the spicy and complementary fruity notes of this amazing wine.

Curried Quinoa with Fresh Salmon and Aioli

Ingredients:

  • Flank of salmon (think 8 slices, 1 inch wide to lay on top of quinoa in large martini glasses)
  • 1 Cup Quinoa
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 4 shallots
  • small bunch green onions
  • small bunch of cilantro
  • cinnamon stick
  • 1 med. jalepeno
  • Trader Joes curry powder (or create with equal parts Cumin, Corriander, Cardomom, Cumin and double Tumeric, with cayenne to taste)
  • Curry aioli (good mayo)
  • Cayenne

Preparation:

Salmon

Place salmon on small baking sheet covered in ample aluminum foil coated lightly with olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and wrap in excess aluminum foil to finish cooking as it cools to warm or room temperature. Delicately flip salmon and remove the skin. Slice to desired size.

Quinoa

Cook as rice (1 1/2 cups water: 1 cup quinoa); boil water with salt, 2 tsp. of curry powder, and a cinnamon stick.  Add quinoa, simmer covered for about 15 mins.  Cool, drizzle with a little olive oil. Add more curry and salt to taste. Can take a good strong curry flavor.
Sauté chopped shallots and chopped jalepeno, add a little white wine when browning starts.  
Fold this into the quinoa
Chop up fresh cilantro and green onions (about 1/3-1/2 cup each) 
Fold this into the quinoa 
Salt to taste

Aioli

Select organic mayo made from olive oil. Just mix in curry powder to a strong flavor and deep mustard color. Add pinches of cayenne to taste.

Presentation

Place Quinoa in martini glass. Lay slice of salmon on top. Dollop aioli on top of the salmon.

PERFECT Pairing!

2016 Halleck Vineyard, Saralee’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Dry Gewurztraminer

Subscribe

Join us in our mission of building community through wine.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Our Sponsor

Ross Halleck

Ross Halleck

Ross moved to Sonoma County in 1991 with Jennifer to develop a Pinot Noir vineyard in the Sonoma Coast region. He shepherds the spirit of the earth into every glass of Halleck Vineyard wine.

Wine Events Calendar

African Safari: Wine & Wildlife Expedition

Join Sonoma vintner Jennifer Halleck on an unforgettable journey to Africa, where you will explore the wonders of this vibrant continent and share your passion for wine with fellow enthusiasts.…

Read More
A group of girlfriends enjoying Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc at Halleck Vineyard winery in Sonoma, along with their cute little doggy who is a member of the Halleck Vineyard dog club. The women take in the beautiful views of the earth and savor the delicious taste of seafood paired perfectly with the Sauvignon Blanc. They also learned about the art of winemaking from the expert winemakers at Halleck Vineyard while enjoying artisanal cheese and participating in an auction to benefit the local community.

2023 Harvest Party

Library Tasting, Fresh Oysters, Buffet Lunch, and Live Music…

Read More

Wine Tasting & MLB Baseball: Giants vs Rockies

JOIN HALLECK VINEYARD AT THE BALLGAME!
JULY 8TH
IN THE BASELINE BOX AT ORACLE PARK, SAN FRANCISCO

Watch the game from this dugout at 1st base while enjoying Halleck Vineyard wines with Ross,…

Read More

Recent Posts

Ross Halleck, the winemaker of Halleck Vineyard located in Sonoma County, and Victoria Taylor, the sommelier of Bar Boulud in Manhattan, collaborated on a private wine pairing dinner. The event showcased premium wines from the Russian River Valley, known for its fruity and earthy notes, paired with delectable dishes crafted by the expert chefs at Bar Boulud. This unforgettable dining experience brought together the best of Californian winemaking and French culinary expertise, creating a fine dining experience for all attendees.

Wine Wars: Tasting Showdown Between French Wine and California Wine at Bar Boulud

What goes better with French food? French wines or California wines? Winemaker Ross Halleck of Halleck Vineyard in Sonoma County collaborated with Bar Boulud Sommelier Victoria Taylor in Manhattan on a private vintner dinner to find out. …

Read More...
best wine for mediterranean food from Victoria Taylor

Best Wine for Mediterranean Food from Sommelier Victoria Taylor

Pairing the best wine with Mediterranean food is notoriously difficult. There’s a menagerie of spices and herbs that don’t mesh easily with white and red wine varietals. …

Read More...
Sommelier Michael Dolinski with Chef Alfred Portale

Pinot Noir Food Pairing Tips from Michael Dolinski

Ready for some Pinot Noir food pairing tips from a true master? Sommelier Michael Dolinski at New York’s Michelin-star Portale restaurant recommends the Halleck Vineyard Three Sons Russian River Valley Pinot Noir….

Read More...

Sonoma Wine Tasting in Sebastopol