Cook Like a Vancouver Chef: Felix Zhou’s Summery BBQ Salmon
It’s summer in Vancouver, which means you’re likely catching some rays at the beach, cycling the seawall, carting the kids to the pool, taking short getaways on the weekend or enjoying a drink on a sun-drenched patio.
Summers in Vancouver also mean backyard (or condo patio) barbecues with friends and family. At your next barbecue, lose the store-bought hot dogs and frozen burgers and go for something a little more sophisticated.
Here’s what you’ll need to make a crowd-pleasing barbecue salmon and refreshing side salad just like rising Vancouver chef, Felix Zhou:
For the salmon:
- 1 side fillet of sockeye salmon (skin on, scaled)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup salt
- 1/3 cup chopped fennel fronds
- 1/3 cup orange zest
- 1/3 cup lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fennel seed
Mix all ingredients together, generously cover the fish with the mixture and massage gently. Let the fillet sit for 4.5 hours, pat dry and portion into grilling-sized pieces.
For the salad:
- Mixed greens of choice
- 2 oranges segmented
- One fennel bulb sliced thin, brushed with oil and grilled to slightly char the slices
Mix all salad ingredients with your favourite dressing.
Grill salmon to preferred level of doneness. Felix recommends the salmon be cooked to medium rare.
Plate the salmon up with the salad, dish it out to your guests and enjoy!
photo: Chef Felix Zhou | Allison Kuhl Photography
About Chef Felix Zhou:
Born in Hunan, China and raised in Vancouver, Felix Zhou started his culinary journey at West Restaurant under the tutelage of critically acclaimed chefs David Hawksworth and Warren Geraghty. He further honed his skills in his next role at the Shangri-La Hotel’s MARKET by Jean-George, and in 2012 jetted off to London to pursue his next culinary adventure. Here, Felix joined the team at Michelin- starred Galvin La Chapelle – a bastion of modern French cuisine – and then sharpened his foraging skills at Roganic, a pop-up restaurant in Marylebone dreamed up by Michelin-starred Chef Simon Rogan.
Felix returned to Canada in early 2014 to assume the role of executive sous chef at Whistler’s Nita Lake Lodge where he helped to oversee the resort’s five food outlets. Later that year, Felix moved back to Vancouver to accept the executive chef position at The Parker – one of the city’s most well-received vegetarian eateries – and stayed with the restaurant during its rebranding as Big Trouble. Most recently, Felix was the executive chef at West End eatery Beach Bay Café and Patio, where his ever-evolving menu prioritized locally sourced ingredients, freshly caught seafood and approachable dishes inspired by the laidback lifestyle of the West Coast.
Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2016/07/15/cook-like-a-vancouver-chef-felix-zhous-summery-bbq-salmon/
