Today’s Special: Sandra’s Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

The oil sizzled as soon the salmon fillet hit the pan.

That noise was the hint that the fish would turn out crispy but not overcooked, explained Sandra Pittman, chef and co-owner of Sandra’s Next Generation.

The cast-iron pan was already very hot when Pittman added the spice-covered salmon, so it only took a few minutes to cook each side of the fillet. When the fish was done, Pittman started sautéing onions and bell peppers in another skillet. Finally, she ladled in a glaze made in advance from bourbon, cherries, peaches, brown sugar and thyme.

“Salmon’s the type of meat you never want to overcook. Overcooked salmon is dry. That’s why you have to pay attention — and don’t leave the stove when you cook!” Pittman said.

Together, the blackened spices and Pittman’s bourbon glaze added a smoky, savory taste to the natural flavor of the salmon. Hints of sweetness popped through without being overpowering. And the fillet had the crisp edge and tender interior Pittman promised.

Take-out and delivery orders will prove crucial to the ability of local restaurants like Sandra’s Next Generation to weather the Covid-19 pandemic. Call (203) 787‑4123 or visit the restaurant’s website to order the blackened salmon and other dishes for take-out or delivery. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday 11:30 a.m to 8 p.m.

A Year Of Growth

Unlike the restaurant industry as a whole, Sandra’s has pulled off a miracle: Sales at the popular Hill restaurant are double what they were this time last year.

The restaurant needed a federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan to avoid laying off any staff members during the initial instability of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the summer though, the soul food establishment found its feet.

Sandra and her husband, Miguel Pittman, removed all the seats in and outside the Congress Avenue restaurant. They converted the inside seating area into a second takeout counter and cleared space outside the restaurant for a socially-distanced line of customers.

“We cleared that first hurdle because of the PPP,” Miguel Pittman said.

Even in the relative quiet of the weekday afternoon, the steady hum of activity underlined his statement.

Taylor Williams handled orders as they came in by phone and online.

Longtime Sandra’s employee Sabrina Smith packed up a new batch of bread pudding at the second takeout counter.

Walk-in customers ordered from the original takeout counter (pictured above) …

… while Miguel Pittman, Jr. ran the cash register.

Sandra has used the moment to expand her menu and diversify her products. She now sells bottles of her spice mix, along with health-focused teas and weekly meal preparation kits. She has created a vegan menu, featuring curried chickpeas and vegan collard greens.

“People are more health-conscious than ever, staying at home all the time,” Sandra said.

Sandra’s own inventions, like her soul empanadas, grace the expanded menu. The lobster version has the crunchy exterior and cabbage strips of a spring roll, the lobster pieces and rice of a classic Sandra’s plate, and the crescent shape of an empanada.

The blackened salmon is an earlier product of Pittman’s culinary creativity.

The recipe fuses her search for healthy substitutions with the tastes and skills she learned from her mother, Mary Harris, who still cooks at age 85.

The decision to use salmon started two to three years ago in an effort to expand options for diabetic and health-conscious customers. The spice mix of paprika, garlic and onion that covers the salmon originates in Harris’ cooking.

“Anything that I bake, that I fry, that I steam means a lot to me, because I feel that I’m continuing to let the legacy of my mom’s recipes live on. And it’s good to have her still here with me too,” Sandra said.

Sandra’s excitement about the food she creates is contagious. Whenever she introduced an employee, they would wave, face brightening as they continued ladling food or taking orders. Longtime customers clutched new products or picked up orders with toddlers in tow.

I biked my own precious cargo back home: one order of the bourbon-glazed salmon with cabbage, corn, rice, black-eyed peas and macaroni and cheese, plus fried chicken, mac and cheese and yams for my partner. Sandra tucked a lobster empanada and two different types of cornbread into my order.

When I got home, I tilted the takeout container towards my partner, who was teaching online and hadn’t kept track of where I was.

“Is that …?” he asked, tears in his voice.

Yes, it’s Sandra’s.

Previous coverage of recommended take-out orders to help local businesses survive the pandemic:

• Today’s Special: Haci’s Napoletana Pie
• Today’s Special: Fred & Patty’s Brie On Baguette
• Today’s Special: Nieda’s Moist Falafel
• Today’s Special: Qulen’s Vegan ​“Wings”
• Today’s Special: Aaron’s Peruvian Rice Bowl
• Today’s Special: Singh Bros.’ Chana Kulcha
• Today’s Special: Grandma’s Chicken Soup
• Today’s Special: Woody’s Steak & Shrimp
• Today’s Special: Shilmat’s Yemisir Sambusa
• Today’s Special: Arjun’s Vegetarian Manchurian
• Today’s Special: Mohammed’s Bhel Poori
• Today’s Special: Francesco’s Tortelli
• Today’s Special: Seikichi’s Sushi
• Today’s Special: Ketkeo’s Khao Poon
• Today’s Special: Mike Fox’s French Toast
• Today’s Special: Zhang’s Squirrel Fish Dish
• Today’s Special: Jessica’s Gumbo
• Today’s Special: Kenny Kim’s Vegan Ramen
• Today’s Special: Ernesto’s Venezuelan Arepa
• Today’s Special: Corey’s ​“Prison Reformer” Frank
• Today’s Special: Bryan’s Butter Chicken Pie
• Today’s Special: Jared’s Super Supreme Baked Potato
• Today’s Special: Craig’s Breakfast Reuben
• Today’s Special: Sunny’s Mackerel Sashimi
• Today’s Special: Jamshed’s Lemon Chicken
• Today’s Special: Dave’s Navratan Curry
• Today’s Special: Nicole’s Oxtail
• Today’s Special: Brisket Kansa-Lina Fries