Curried Salmon Mousse

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 pound rinsed wild sockeye salmon fillet
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• Fresh chives, chopped

Preparation

1. 1. Boil 2 cups water, wine, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium frying pan. Simmer fish just until opaque. Drain, cool, skin, and flake.
2. 2. Pour oil into pan over medium heat. Cook shallots, garlic, and ginger until softened. Stir in curry paste; cook 1 minute. Whirl mixture in a food processor with coconut milk, cream cheese, sugar, and 1 tsp. salt until smooth. Pulse in salmon, then lime juice. Serve chilled, topped with chives.
3. Top Wine Picks:
4. Curran 2009 Grenache Blanc (Santa Ynez Valley; $22). Orange and apricot with river rocks beneath and a spicy lemon-drop finish.
5. Jaffurs 2009 Thompson Vineyard Grenache Blanc (Santa Barbara County; $30). Delicate jasmine and Asian pear open to stone fruit and zesty lemon.
6. Tangent 2009 Paragon Vineyard Grenache Blanc (Edna Valley; $17). Loads of juicy melon, plus tart, refreshing grapefruit and peach with an edge of minerality.