Stick to your resolutions with tasty salmon, vegetable recipes

David Walzog, executive chef at Wynn Las Vegas, serves up healthy dishes

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>>> this morning in "today's" kitchen, healthy dishes to keep you on track. we have david walzog, executive chef at the lakeside grill in wynn hotel in las vegas .

>> hello.

>> how are you? you like to cook and eat. you will teach us how to make a steamed salmon.

>> we will try and stay on track with the new year's resolution. get your apron going. salmon with any fish. then, we're adding aromatic vegetables. nice and easy.

>> in parchment. why parchment?

>> it contains the liquid, we put extra virgin olive oil and white wine , seals in those flavors and blooms throughout the cooking and imparts the flavors to the salmon.

>> they're not lost in cooking?

>> no, they're not. they're still there.

>> okay. let me grab a salmon for you.

>> thank you. now, you've gotten celery. i think this is fennel?

>> celery, fennel and white onions and add green olives .

>> green olives .

>> garlic.

>> the idea with olives and garlic, a lot of flavor you're putting in.

>> a lot of flavor. that's the key to this whole pouch cooking system, is to seal in those flavors. look at that.

>> you make it pretty if you can. there you go.

>> absolutely, make it pretty if you can.

>> how do you fold the parchment paper .

>> a little bit of liquid. then we drizzle with white wine as well.

>> hey, now. now. how much -- a little bit. when you cook with wine, do you need to use the best bottle?

>> no, no. you don't want to use the best bottle at all.

>> corner to corner.

>> yeah. corner to corner and we keep sealing it around and keep folding this.

>> oh.

>> packet.

>> uh-huh. trying to keep so nothing spills out of it?

>> exactly.

>> and we have folded it up so the juice goes up, right,

>> yes. it stays in.

>> you don't use any tape or anything?

>> no, no tape.

>> that wouldn't go well in the oven.

>> no.

>> how do you know when you have it all -- you don't want it all to spill out.

>> a nice seal and put this on --

>> it kind of sits there and kind of works. yeah! awesome.

>> nice and easy.

>> you have but ter that's clarified.

>> the clarified butter is for winter vegetables, winter root vegetabl vegetables, potatoes, route ta bta -- rutebagers, and parsley. i love cooking in this one pot, saves for cleanup and you again get those flavors.

>> look at these supervises, cinnamon, nutmeg and.

>> a spanish red chili , salt and fresh oregano. it all goes in.

>> the aroma is wonderful.

>> cooking with guinness, adding some of that.

>> just a cover. great supervises.

>> smell that. that's really --

>> it's phenomenal. that smells -- i mean --

>> once it all cooks and the sugar caramelized with the vegetables and everything blooms, it's really a fantastic dish. you will just bake this in the oven?

>> uh-huh.

>> what about this butter?

>> i'm sorry. drizzle it around. good eye.

>> drizzle with butter on top and stick it in. how long does that cook?

>> done. an hour.

>> while that's cooking, you have the rest of this. come around this corner, pull out of the oven?

>> that's where the salmon is. i will put one of these things together for us. put one of the vegetables. there's the finished vegetables. this is great for a dinner party . it can sit there, you can rewarm it.

>> i can't tell you, guys get in here, get in here! jimmy, come and eat something. you see jimmy here. this is david , you guys.

>> it looks good. thank you.

>> you will plate it up by putting the vegetable -- it looks beautiful.

>> it's gorgeous.

>> thank you, david !

>> what do you have coming up?

>> i have one thing in

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 1/12/2011 8:49:04 PM ET

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Want some help sticking to your New Year’s resolutions? David Walzog, executive chef of the Lakeside Grill at Wynn Las Vegas, is here to help. Here, Walzog shares recipes that are both healthful and mouthwatering: steamed salmon in parchment, and braised winter vegetables with herbs, garlic and stout.

Recipe: Steamed salmon in parchment (on this page) Recipe: Braised winter vegetables with herbs, garlic and stout (on this page)

Recipe: Steamed salmon in parchment

David Walzog

Ingredients

4 salmon steaks, cut to 6 ounces each
1/2 cup green olives, pitted
2 stalks celery, peeled and cut (julienned)
1/2 white onion, peeled and julienned
1/2 fennel bulb, julienned
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 sprigs Italian parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine
Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Preparation

To prepare the packets:

Lay a 14-inch-square piece of parchment paper flat on the counter, repeat this for the other 3 sheets so you can prep these all at one time. Add a quarter of the celery, onion, fennel, olives and sun-dried tomatoes just below the center of each of the sheets of parchment. Place the salmon on top of the vegetables. Place 2 slices of lemon, 2 sprigs of parsley and 2 garlic cloves into each packet. Season the salmon and vegetables with salt and black pepper. Drizzle each packet with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and 1/4 cup white wine.

To seal the packet and cook the salmon:

Fold the top half of the paper over to the bottom half. Fold the edges together starting from one end to create a seal. Place this into the preheated oven on a cookie sheet and allow to cook for 15 minutes. When ready, remove from the oven, and serve the packet on a dinner plate, allowing your guest to break open the top of the packet.

Serving Size

Serves 4

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Recipe: Braised winter vegetables with herbs, garlic and stout

David Walzog

Ingredients

Vegetables and herbs:
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch oblique cuts
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch oblique cuts
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch oblique cuts
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch oblique cuts
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch oblique cuts
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
For the spice mixture:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon Espelette pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 ounces whole butter, melted
6 ounces stout, such as Guinness

Preparation

Place all of the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, chopped herbs and sliced garlic. Season the vegetables with spices, salt and ground black pepper. Add this to an ovenproof baking dish that has a lid. Pour on the stout. Place the lid on the baking dish and put into a 375-degree preheated oven. Allow this to cook for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.