A special Sunday dinner in the late fall and early winter used to be raclette. Really, it still is. The cheese, usually of Swiss origin, is melted until bubbly and served with hot steamed potatoes, cornichons, olives, mustard, salumi, a bit of salad on the side, and an ice-cold glass of milk. Well, as a kid it was ice-cold milk; my parents drank red wine or beer. The dinner warmed the body and the soul but filled the stomach. At meal’s end, everyone around the table was stuck in their respective chairs.
Recently, I have wanted to serve raclette, at least its essence, just not the belly bomb. Today, we fine-tuned a slow-cooked salmon dish topped with black olive gomasio, arugula leaves, whipped raclette (the cheese and its accompaniments), and some tarragon. Here, we have captured the flavor without the heaviness. It acts as a great seasoning and balance to the fish.
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