Business Casual

Bill Wilson and I lunched at Larkspur today with new Weigand president Roger Weast.

While I meet a lot of great people through doing this job, I was particularly struck by how gosh darn nice Roger is. I think the reason I find this noteworthy is the number of real estate people I meet who are — hmmm, how to put this? — not so nice.

Of course, there are lots of good folks in the business, but Roger seems to be an especially good guy. We also bonded over the salmon nicoise, which I introduced him to.

Roger is a fellow salmon lover, and I mentioned the excellent kosher salt-encrusted salmon Restaurant 155 used to serve (anyone remember it?). Chef Tony Card once gave the recipe to my husband, Eagle food writer Joe Stumpe, so I promised Roger I’d share it. So here it is, and I recommend the rest of you try it, too. It’s quick, tasty and impressive to serve if you’re having guests.

Generously rub a salmon filet with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper (I like to leave the skin on, by the way). Heat extra virgin olive oil in an oven-proof skillet on your stove. Get the oil hot so the salmon sizzles when you put it in. Sear the salmon for a minute or two on each side. I like to do it until it starts to turn golden brown so the outside is a bit crunchy. Then put the entire skillet (make sure there are no plastic parts!) into a 425-degree oven for about 6 or 7 minutes. We sometimes serve this dish with pineapple or peach salsa, but it’s great on it’s own, too.

Bon appetit, Roger.