SALMON WELLINGTON

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

I have the great pleasure of introducing another guest post by my beloved husband!

Although I’d like to say that Beef Wellington is everyone’s festive delicacy, that’s surely a falsehood, because for many, many people filet of beef is a profanity, and its accoutrement, foie gras, is an atrocity. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but Sally and I don’t share those sentiments. We love the Wellingon! We love it so much that we sought other variants. The one that we found, or in this case it’s even fair to say “invented,” is Salmon Wellington. Concocting a salmon Wellington is a bit like making an exquisite ham sandwich: you can garnish it with cheese or mustard or lettuce, or all three and more. So, we created our own variation of the dish, that includes Alaskan snow crab and a phyllo dough shell. It’s a light, …(OK, lighter) and a fresh experience that’s still rich with flavor.
SALMON WELLINGTON
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 pieces of center-cut filet of salmon, skin removed
1/2 cup of Alaskan crab meat, cooked and shredded
1 Tbsp grape seed oil
1 celery stalk, finely minced
1 shallot, finely minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp fresh dill, minced
salt and pepper to taste
6 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed
melted butter

Heat the oil in a small skillet and saute the shallots and celery in medium-low heat until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the lemon zest and turn the heat off. Transfer to a small bowl and allow it to cool to lukewarm or room temperature. Mix the veggies with cooked crab meat, add the ginger and dill, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

To prepare the fish, buy a thick piece of fresh atlantic or wild salmon and cut it into 3″ by 4″ pieces, or a bit larger if you desire. Remove the skin with a sharp knife (I prefer a ceramic knife for this) and carefully scrape away the central vein of dark, oily meat. Rinse the filet under running water and dry it on paper towels.

Open the sheets of phyllo dough, 2 at a time, and brush them lightly with melted butter (you can also use olive oil if you prefer). Lay 6 sheets on top of each other and place half of the crab mixture over the center, leaving a large border all around. Try to spread the crab mixture to cover more or less the same area that the salmon will occupy. Lay the salmon filet on top, season with salt and pepper, and squeeze a small amount of lemon juice over it. Wrap the phyllo dough around the filet. Invert the package, so that the crab is on top, and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut away any excess dough. Brush a little melted butter on top of the phyllo, and bake at 375 F for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: As Phil said, we LOVE the Wellington, it is probably our “signature dish”, the one we turn to when we want to make a special meal. In fact, it was the first recipe we cooked together when we started dating, we even made the puff pastry from scratch. Fun times… 😉 This variation is quickly becoming my favorite, though. Salmon and phyllo dough make a winning combination, and the crab meat doesn’t hurt either. Over the years, we’ve made Salmon Wellington with many different toppings. Once, while living in Paris we made it for our Valentine’s dinner. Phil came up with a topping using a citric fruit similar to clementines, that was in season at the time. It was outstanding! Come to think of it, Valentine’s Day is not far away, and this would be a great meal for the occasion!

ONE YEAR AGO: The Green Chip Alternative

TWO YEARS AGO: Weekend Pita Project

THREE YEARS AGO: Let it snow, let it snow, eggs in snow

9Nov2012

INSPIRATIONS AND A BLOG AWARD!

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

Every once in a while events happen in beautiful harmony. Last week I got notification of a new blog post by Kelly over at Inspired Edibles. She shared a recipe for cauliflower puree, and her post immediately made me crave some. I even exchanged a couple of emails with her comparing notes, as I had a version in my blog, from a couple of years ago. I made the puree on a Sunday to have it ready for our dinner next day. To serve with it, I picked a simple recipe (Mondays are busy days for us): Shrimp in Spicy Orange Sauce… Right as my shrimp defrosted in the fridge next day, Kelly published a new post with a recipe for Spicy Orange Ginger Shrimp! subliminal, virtual inspiration? I like to think so… 😉

SHRIMP WITH SPICY ORANGE SAUCE
(from Cooking Light magazine, August 2007)

1 + 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chile paste
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup chopped green onions

Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, toss well to
coat, and set aside. Combine orange juice, soy, honey, vinegar, and chile paste in a small bowl. Reserve.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger to the pan. Stir fry for 15 seconds or until fragrant. Add shrimp mixture, stir fry for 3 minutes. Add the juice mixture and onions, cook for a couple of minutes or until the sauce thickens and the shrimp are done, stirring frequently.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

So here is my delicious dinner, served! Shrimp in a tasty and quick to prepare orange sauce, over cauliflower puree with a hint of apple. A match I had never attempted, but is now classified as “made in heaven!” Usually I would serve this type of dish with steamed rice, but I must say the cauli puree worked its magic here. The meal was slightly more substantial, leaning into the comfort food zone, great way to wrap up a Fall weeknight.

And, to go along in the inspired route, Alaina from Flat Leaf Parsley awarded me the “Very Inspiring Blogger Award“. Inspiring! How wonderful is that? The award requires that you say 7 things about yourself. I’ve played this game before, and was tempted to just copy the same 7 facts here, but I thought that would be almost cheating. So here you have seven “new” ones:

1. I’ve worn the same perfume for the past 30 years: a Brazilian cologne called Free. Every year when I go to Brazil I stock up, and usually also get a couple of bottles from friends and family as gifts. They know I would have a hard time without it!

2. I have no sense of orientation whatsoever, and get in frequent trouble because of it. I turn to the wrong side on the street and inside buildings. I get lost going from the bathroom to my table in restaurants. It is pathetic and at times very embarrassing.

3. I am very good both at parallel and back -parking, love the challenge of fitting our pick up truck in the tiniest spots. And, I am obviously very modest! 😉

4. I used to drive a Porsche 944 Turbo. Red. Gorgeous. Not a wise economical decision from a maintenance perspective (it had over 100 thousand miles when I bought it), but I had a blast driving it!

5. I studied Mandarin Chinese for a few years, wish one day I can find the energy and time to go back to it. Writing ideograms is an introspective and rewarding experience.

6. Every day for the past 4 years, I send a picture of something beautiful (landscape, animals, flowers, sunsets) by email to a group of family members and friends. I call it “Beleza do Dia” (Beauty of the Day), and really enjoy doing it.

7. My motto: everything in moderation, except exercise… 😉 I have more than 30 fitness-related DVDs to provide enough “muscle confusion”, although P90X is my favorite.

Thank you so much, Alaina, for passing me this award!

ONE YEAR AGO: A Simple Appetizer (Baked Ricotta)

TWO YEARS AGO: Sour Cream Sandwich Bread

THREE YEARS AGO: Pasta with Zucchini Strands and Shrimp

12Sep2012

CELEBRATE WEDNESDAY WITH A SEAFOOD CURRY

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Seafood by sallybr

I honestly could not remember when was the last time I made a special midweek dinner for us. It seemed like ages, so I browsed the blog and there it was: May 3rd. Four months ago. Four hectic months. Slowly we begin to adjust to a new routine, but there’s no doubt that my cooking suffered quite a bit. Lack of energy, the feeling of being always short on time and exhausted, it all took a toll on me. But, it’s about time to shake things up a little. This was simple enough to prepare after work, and delivered all that I expected to make that evening – a prisoner in the middle of a busy week – feel very special!

THAI SEAFOOD CURRY
(adapted from Bon Appetit Everyday Meals)

3 large limes
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut in small dice
1 + 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
1 can (about 14 oz) light unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
10 ounces cod fillets, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
12 peeled large shrimp
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Finely grate enough peel from 2 limes to measure 1 + 1/2 teaspoons. Squeeze enough juice from 2 limes to measure 2 tablespoons. Cut third lime into wedges, and reserve for serving.

Heat vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, bell pepper, and minced ginger; sauté until shallots and peppers soften up slightly, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime peel, and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Simmer gently, for a few minutes. Sprinkle fish and shrimp with salt and pepper. Add fish and shrimp to curry sauce. Return to very gentle simmer and cook just until fish and shrimp are opaque in center, 5 to 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cilantro and basil; serve with lime wedges, over steamed white rice. Prepare to receive high praise.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The original recipe used halibut, but I substituted cod because our grocery store had gorgeous looking cod that day, whereas the halibut seemed a bit sad (or, to quote a favorite French expression of mine: pas fameux ;-)). My other modification was to use green curry paste instead of red, because that’s what I had in my pantry. As to coconut milk, I almost always use light because it works well for this type of recipe. It is slightly less dense, but feels rich and flavorful enough, with the added bonus of lower fat content.

ONE YEAR AGO: Post-workout Breakfast

TWO YEARS AGO: Semolina Barbecue Buns

THREE YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers

3May2012

CELEBRATE WEDNESDAY: HEIRLOOM TOMATOES STEAL THE SHOW

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Seafood by sallybr

Ideally, my Wednesday special meal will catch Phil by complete surprise, but this time he had been snooping around the depths of our fridge. Just as I was getting ready to cook dinner, he asked me with a big smile “we’re having scallops tonight for dinner, aren’t we?”. Bummer. Just could not get him this time.

I had the inspiration for this meal when I brought home a couple of heirloom tomatoes, and was blown away by how juicy and delicious they were. I went right back to the store and bought some more. They turned into a fantastic sauce, paired with leeks and a thinly sliced fennel bulb. Scallops crowned the meal with their touch of class, always welcome. Another Wednesday evening made ultra-special!

PASTA WITH SCALLOPS IN HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AND FENNEL SAUCE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 Tbsp olive oil (+ a little more for searing scallops)
1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, frowns reserved
3 to 4 heirloom tomatoes, depending on their size
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp orange zest, divided
8 sea scallops
¼ tsp ground fennel
spaghetti, or pasta of your choice

Boil the water to cook the pasta.

Core the tomatoes and cut them in large chunks, but don’t seed them. Reserve.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, then saute the leeks and the sliced fennel for about 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. When they are soft and starting to get some golden color, add the tomatoes and half the orange zest. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes start to melt and release a lot of juice. Cover the pan, and keep at a simmer.

Cook the pasta, and when it’s 5 minutes from being ready, heat a non-stick skillet on high heat, add olive oil just to coat the surface lightly. Pat the scallops dry, season lightly with salt, pepper and ground fennel, and sear them, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Reserve some of the pasta water, drain the pasta and add to the tomato/fennel pan, increase the heat slightly, and let the pasta and the sauce cook for a minute or so together. If needed, add some of the pasta water to the sauce. Add the remaining orange zest, the scallops on top, and sprinkle with minced fennel fronds right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

If you make this dish with “regular” tomatoes, it simply won’t be the same, so try to find these funky looking babies, they are superb, particularly the brown ones. We could not get over the flavor of this dish, so few ingredients, but they work together beautifully, and the scallops (make sure you get a nice sear on the outside) are not overpowered by the sauce.

Normally I reserve the pasta water to adjust the consistency of a pan sauce, but in this case it was not necessary to add any. The tomatoes did their job providing all the moisture to coat the pasta strands.

If you don’t like scallops, shrimp could be a good option, or chicken breast filets. If you want to keep it vegan, maybe grilled tofu could work too. But don’t mess with the heirloom tomatoes!

ONE YEAR AGO: Pain de Provence

TWO YEARS AGO: Golspie Loaf

17Mar2012

CELEBRATE WEDNESDAY: CRISPY HERB-CRUSTED HALIBUT

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Seafood by sallybr

Most people are preoccupied and busy during the week, so weeknight dinners lean towards the quick and simple. But, every once in a while it’s nice to create a special meal, and Wednesday’s my favorite day to do it, because it’s right in the middle of the exhausting road to the weekend. It’s HUMP DAY! After reading a comment from Lisa, I decided to include such special dinners in a category called “Celebrate Wednesday.” They will focus on recipes that are easy to prepare and sure to bring festivities to the table. Today it’s a delicious recipe from Anne Burrell, that turned a cloudy, chilly Wednesday this past week into a warm, relaxing evening.

CRISPY HERB-CRUSTED HALIBUT WITH CURLY CELERY
(adapted from Chef Anne Burrell, recipe available online here)

6 celery ribs
Kosher salt
1 lemon, halved, divided
1/2 pound green beans, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
Pinch of red pepper flakes
4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets, skin removed
1/2 bunch thyme, leaves chopped
1/2 bunch chives, minced
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
olive oil

Using a sharp veggie peeler, shave the celery to get long, thin shavings. Put the celery shavings in ice water with half a lemon and its juice and let sit for at least 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator. The celery will get very crunchy, and all curly. Before you start preparing the rest of the meal, drain the celery and dry it well (preferably using a salad spinner). Reserve.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and set up a bowl of ice water. Toss the green beans in the boiling water and cook until they beans are tender but still firm. Remove the beans from the boiling water and plunge immediately into the ice water and let them cool. When they are cold and still vibrantly green, remove them from the ice water and reserve (can be prepared the day before).

Heat your oven to 375 F.

Season the fish fillets with salt. Combine the herbs and the potato flakes in a shallow dish. Place the egg wash in another bowl. Dip the flesh side of each fillet into the egg wash and then press them into the herb/potato flake mixture. Put on a sheet tray with the crusted side up.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the fish, crusted side down. When the crust has become golden and crispy, flip them over, then transfer the fish to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and put in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the filet is flaky and cooked through.

Remove the oil in the saute pan and add new oil. Toss in the garlic and crushed red pepper. When the garlic becomes golden and aromatic remove it and discard. Toss in the reserved green beans, and toss them around the pan to heat them through, without overcooking. Turn off the heat, and add the crispy celery on top. Squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon all over the veggies, divide them between 4 serving plates and top with the fish.

ENJOY! (I know you will… 😉 )

to print the recipe, click here

I don’t normally buy instant mashed potatoes, but when Anne Burrell asked me to, I complied. It took me a while to even find them at the grocery store. They come in a box and they hang around their buddies like boxed mac and cheese, and hamburger helpers. Now I must find some other uses, because the box is huge! (sigh)

The celery deserves a paragraph for itself. The ribbons, after a few hours in the icy, lemony water, turn into crispy creatures, absolutely delicious! They were a pain to shave, but that’s probably due to my poor skills with the veggie peeler. I halved the recipe (used two fish filets only), but still went through 6 celery stalks to have enough good looking ribbons. At any rate, I advise you to make more than you think you need. Add it to a salad next day, or munch on them straight from the fridge. It’s addictive stuff!

This was a superb meal, one that I would make for company anytime. And had the desired effect on my beloved, who was expecting leftovers from the evening before for his dinner. 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Almond Butter Cake

TWO YEARS AGO: Bonjour! (makes me miss Paris!)