ŌRA KING SALMON
ŌRA KING SALMON
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Best Choice
CATCH METHOD:
Farmed | Non-copper, Open Net Pens
OTHER NAMES:
Spring salmon, quinnat salmon, and Tyee salmon
AVAILABILITY:
Year Round
LOCATION:
Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand
The high oil content naturally present in the Ōra King breed can be seen in the striking marbled fat lines within the bright orange flesh, instantly drawing comparison to Wagyu. King salmon eggs are nurtured in the crystal clear waters flowing from Te Waikoropupu Springs at our hatchery in Takaka. With ~14,000 litres of fresh water bubbling to the surface of the springs every second, the waters of this region are some of the clearest in the world, an ideal beginning to the life cycle for Ōra King salmon.
BEST
CHOICE
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Seafood Watch Rating
200k
Currently over 200,000 records for individual fish stretching back to the first generation in 1997
Achieved the world-leading Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification from The Global Aquaculture Alliance
SUSTAINABLE FARMING
Salmon farming in New Zealand is one of the most sustainable ways of producing animal protein.
TRACEABILITY
The New Zealand King Salmon Company has a traditional, classic selective breeding programme where the broodstock (breeding fish) with the best traits (size, colour, oil content) are chosen for reproduction. Over one hundred distinct salmon families are maintained, and there are currently over 200,000 records for individual fish stretching back to the first generation in 1997. NZKS does not genetically modify its fish.
CULINARY
Cooking with Ōra King Salmon
Our King Salmon is regarded by many as the pinnacle salmon species internationally!
Pan Seared SALMON
(Cooked, Serves 2)
2 4 Oz Salmon filets Ōra King Salmon
1 Tsp Olive oil
1/2 Tsp Tarragon Leaves Fresh
1/4 Tsp Salt (Himalayan Pink is best)
1/4 Tsp Pepper
1/2 Lemon Juiced
- Drizzle Ora filets with olive oil and add salt, pepper and tarragon leaves to each filet.
- Add an extra tsp of olive oil to oven proof frypan over medium high heat. Place seasoned filets skin side up in frypan and cook for two minutes.
- Turn filets over and place in a 350º F oven for 4-5 minutes depending on the thickness of your filets.
GRILLED SALMON
(Cooked, Serves 4)
4 Ōra King Salmon fillets
1 lb of Asparagus
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 bell peppers, preferably 2 red, 1 yellow
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon minced garlic
- Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F). Brush the cooking grates clean.
- Mix together half of the basil, garlic and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to make an herb marinade.
- Cut the peppers into large pieces and remove the stem and seeds.
- Toss the peppers with half the herb marinade. Grill the peppers over direct high heat until roasted and blistered, 5 to 6 minutes, flipping over after 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, cut the roasted peppers into thick strips and toss them with the honey, remaining basil, white balsamic vinegar and remaining olive oil.
- Marinate the salmon with the second half of the herb marinade. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the salmon over direct high heat for 4-6 minutes, flipping over after 4 minutes.
- As you flip the salmon over, add the cleaned asparagus to the grill and cook over direct high heat for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Remove from the grill and serve salmon with roasted pepper relish and asparagus. This dish goes great with an herbed couscous!
63º SALMON with Beetroot
(Cooked, Serves 10)
1 (3 1/2-pound) skin-on king salmon side, cut into 10 (5 1/2-ounce) portions and patted dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh wild mushrooms
2 large shallots, chopped
1 cup Pinot Noir wine
10 tarragon sprigs, divided, plus fresh tarragon leaves, for garnish
10 thyme sprigs, divided
10 fennel frond sprigs
1 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup unsalted butter (8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces, divided
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat 4 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add mushrooms and shallots; cook, stirring often, until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in wine, 2 tarragon sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, and 2 fennel sprigs. Return mixture to a simmer over medium-high, and cook until wine is reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in stock and cream, and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Remove sauce from heat, and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup butter. (You may need to return saucepan to heat briefly to melt butter; do not let mixture come to a simmer or sauce will break.) Pour sauce through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a small heatproof bowl; discard solids. Stir in lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cover to keep warm.
- Season tops of salmon fillets with remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 5 salmon fillets, flesh sides down, and sear until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Flip fillets, and sear until skin is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer cooked fillets, skin sides down, to an aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet, spacing fillets 1/2 inch apart. Wipe skillet clean, and repeat process with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 5 salmon fillets.
- Top fillets with remaining 1/2 cup cubed butter, remaining 8 tarragon sprigs, remaining 8 thyme sprigs, and remaining 8 fennel sprigs. Bake in preheated oven to desired degree of doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons warm wine sauce onto each of 10 dinner plates. Using a spatula, carefully slide salmon fillets off their skins, leaving skins and herb sprigs on baking sheet. Pat bottoms of cooked fish with paper towels. Place fillets on sauce, skinned sides down. Garnish with tarragon leaves and fennel fronds, and serve immediately.