Unlike salmon fillets, salmon steaks have bones in the center. Any leftover red-wine butter is delicious on beef, lamb chops, chicken, or mushrooms. Ingredients
1 cup full-bodied dry red wine such as Ctes du Rhne 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (3 to 4) 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 (1-inch-thick) salmon steaks (each about 1/2 lb) 2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
Combine wine, shallots, juice, vinegar, tomato paste, and bay leaf in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan and boil over moderately high heat until mixture is thick and jamlike and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Transfer mixture to a small bowl set in a bowl of ice and cold water and stir until cold to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from ice water and stir in zest, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper with a rubber spatula until incorporated.
Preheat broiler. Line rack of a broiler pan with foil.
Pat fish dry, then brush both sides with oil (2 tablespoons total) and sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Broil fish about 5 inches from heat, turning over once, until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total.
Top each steak with 1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine butter.
Cooks' note:
Leftover red-wine butter can be chilled, covered, up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks.
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