Author: bridgete

Categories
Fish Salad

Salmon and Pea Puree over Fennel and Pear Salad

  • 2 salmon fillets
  • Salt and pepper to taste;

  • Salmon marinade:
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • A couple drops of worcestershire sauce;

  • Orzo soaked in fennel broth:
  • 1 box orzo
  • 2 cups stock
  • 1-2 shallots (optional)
  • 1 tsp olive oil;

  • Fennel and pear salad:
  • 1/2 bulb fennel
  • Pear balsamic vinegar
  • 2 sliced pears
  • 1 sliced red onion;

  • Pea puree:
  • English peas (1 bag frozen)
  • 1 pint low-fat or regular cream

Salad: Slice one half of the fennel, the pears, and red onion.

Add a touch of balsamic or pear balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Make the night before to let soak overnight if you have time.

Orzo: Warm up broth on stovetop.

Add ½ of the sliced fennel bulb (I also like to add the frond for flavor).

In a separate pan, sauté shallots until translucent (optional). Add fresh parsley or rosemary (optional).

Add orzo and olive oil and cook slowly. Cooking the orzo slowly will allow it to absorb the flavor of the fennel.

Pea puree: Blanch peas in boiling salt water for one minute; shock in ice water.

Warm cream and reduce by half.

Combine cream and peas in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Salmon: Mix together marinade ingredients and cover salmon.

Grill or bake salmon (I like to bake salmon wrapped in parchment paper for 25 minutes at 400 degrees).

Add fresh or dried parsley or rosemary or garlic (optional).

Plate (pea puree on bottom, then salmon; salad and orzo on side)

Categories
Scallops

Foil-Packet Scallops With Caper-Raisin Butter

  • Foil-packet scallops
  • 3 cups  chard (can use spinach or Cavalo Nero)- , rolled like a cigar and cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 scallops
  • White rice, for serving (optional)

  • Caper-raisin butter
  • 2 tablespoons non-pareil capers
  • 2 tablespoons golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon malt vinegar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  1. oil-packet scallops
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  3. Place rainbow chard in the center of a large rectangular sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle over olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  4. Top the chard with scallops. Smear the caper-raisin butter over each scallop, then season with more salt and pepper.
  5. Fold over each side of the aluminum foil until you have an enclosed square packet. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked through.
  6. Serve with optional white rice and an ice-cold beer.
  1. Caper-raisin butter
  2. Boil the capers, raisins, and water together for about 10 minutes, until the raisins have plumped up and water has reduced significantly.
  3. Puree in a food processor with the butter, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Store in a jar or container with a tightly fitted lid, refrigerated, for up to a week. Tastes great with scallops, pasta, roasted cauliflower, and raw bitter vegetables.
Categories
Fish

Salmon Moqueca

  • Fish and Marinade
  • 1 1/2 pounds wild salmon fillets
  • 1 28-ounce can of peeled whole tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, cut in half
  • 1 Serrano chile pepper, stemmed and cut in half (use the seeds, too, if you want your stew to be pretty spicy)
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • For the Stew
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 2 red peppers, chopped (or one yellow/orange)
  • 1/2 cup water (or fish stock)
  • 3/4 cup organic whole coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup minced green onion (bottom parts only)- for garnish
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped- for garnish
  1. Fish and Marinade
  2. Place fish in a shallow non-reactive (non-metal) bowl. Combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, chile pepper, lime juice, oil and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade (or a blender). Process until smooth and pour over fish. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  1. For the Stew
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potato and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, adding a little water if needed so it doesn’t burn, until softened. Add zucchini, green and red pepper and continue to cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes, again adding water to the pan, if needed. Add water or fish stock and stir in coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Add fish and marinade and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Just before serving, stir in green onion and cilantro. Serve alone or over rice.
Categories
Vegetarian

Mushroom Wellington

  • MUSHROOM FILLING
  •  large portobello mushrooms, each about 3 inches wide (8 to 10 ounces total)
  • ½ cup plus 5 tablespoons olive oil
  •  Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 900grams (2 pounds) mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster and cremini
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped (about 1 packed cup)
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • ⅓ cup port, or 1 to 2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts (about 4 ounces)
  •  Ice, for cooling

  • ONIONS
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 medium yellow onions (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • ¾ teaspoon light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon good-quality aged balsamic vinegar (optional)

  • ASSEMBLY
  •  All-purpose flour, for dusting
  • 1 (14-ounce) package puff pastry
  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • FOR THE PORT REDUCTION (OPTIONAL):
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  • 1 ½ cups good-quality port
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
  • 3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  •  Kosher salt and black pepper
  1. Wipe the portobello mushrooms clean using barely moistened paper towels. Remove the stems, then slice off the excess mushroom rim that curls over the gills. (You are making sure the stem side has a flat surface so it will sear properly.) Reserve the stems and scraps for use in Step 2. Brush the portobello mushroom caps on both sides with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high and cook the mushrooms, gill-side down, until caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, gill-side down, to cool.
  2. Prepare the mushroom filling: Separate and reserve any mushroom stems. Roughly chop about two-thirds of the mixed mushrooms, then working in batches, transfer the roughly chopped mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until chopped into small pieces. (They should range from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in size.) Transfer the chopped mushrooms to a large bowl. By hand, finely chop the remaining mixed mushrooms and stems and the reserved portobello mushroom stems and trimmings into 1/4-inch pieces; add them to the large bowl. (Chopping most of the mixed mushrooms in the food processor will save you some time, but you’ll want to chop some by hand for texture.)
  3. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. (You’ll use this to quickly cool the cooked mushrooms in Step 4. If preparing in advance, you can simply let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.) Wipe out the skillet. Working in two batches, warm 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add about half the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and rosemary, and season lightly with salt and generously with pepper. (You’ll add soy sauce later, so avoid overseasoning at this stage.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining mushrooms, shallots, garlic and rosemary.
  4. Once the second batch of chopped mushrooms is cooked and caramelized, return the first batch to the skillet. Add the port, soy sauce and thyme leaves and cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes. (If using balsamic vinegar instead of port, reduce the cook time to 1 to 2 minutes.) Transfer the mushroom mixture back to the medium bowl and stir in the walnuts. Set the bowl over the prepared ice bath to cool, stirring occasionally, at least 20 minutes.
  5. Prepare the cider-caramelized onions: Wipe out the skillet, then melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with the sugar, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cider and cook, stirring every few minutes, until the liquid evaporates and the onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, if using, then transfer to a bowl to cool.
  6. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a large piece of parchment paper on your work surface and lightly dust it with flour. Unfold your thawed puff pastry and set it on the parchment. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry out into a 13-by-16-inch rectangle. Transfer the parchment paper and puff pastry to a large sheet pan. Rotate the sheet pan, if needed, so that one of the 16-inch sides is closest to you. Arrange half the cooked mushroom mixture in a strip in the center of the puff pastry (it should be about 4-by-10 inches), leaving a 1½-inch border at the ends. Arrange the caramelized onions in a single, 3-inch-wide strip on top of the mushroom mixture, leaving about ½ inch of the mushrooms exposed on both sides. Lay the portobello mushrooms on top of the onions in a single line, stem-side down. (If the portobellos are too large to all fit in a row, square off edges so the cut sides lay snugly without overlapping.) Spoon the remaining mushroom mixture on top of the filling, covering the portobello mushrooms, then gently pack the mushroom mixture to form an even layer on top. (You can shape this the same way you might shape a freeform meatloaf.)
  7. To assemble, lift one side of the puff pastry over the mushroom filling to almost completely cover it. Brush the surface of the puff pastry covering the mushrooms with the beaten egg. Lift the remaining puff pastry flap over the egg-washed puff pastry, gently stretching it if need be to create a second layer of puff pastry on top, then gently press the top layer of pastry onto the lower layer using your fingertips to seal. Brush the insides of the short ends of the puff pastry and press to seal. Trim any parchment paper that extends beyond the sheet pan.
  8. Brush the exposed puff pastry on top with the remaining beaten egg. Decorate the top of the puff pastry as you like: Create a cross-hatch pattern by gently slicing through only the top layer of puff pastry in parallel lines, then cutting parallel lines in another direction. (Apply very little pressure, as you only want to cut through the top layer of puff pastry, not the second layer.) You can also slice small decorative vents in the puff pastry (be sure to slice all the way through both layers of puff pastry), or top with additional strips or shapes made from egg-washed puff pastry.
  9. Transfer to the middle rack in the oven and bake until puff pastry is deep golden and flaky, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet, about 10 minutes.
  10. While the Wellington bakes, prepare the optional port reduction: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Add the shallot, garlic and peppercorns, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the port, stock and thyme, and cook over medium-high until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the sauce, discarding the solids. (You should have about 1/2 cup sauce.) Cover and set aside until ready to serve. When ready to serve, warm the sauce over medium. Once warmed, whisk in the butter, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
  11. To serve the mushroom Wellington, cut it crosswise into 8 even slabs. (Each slab will include a pretty cross-section showcasing the halved portobello mushroom in the center; this is considered the presentation side.) Serve each piece presentation-side up. Pass with port reduction for drizzling on top
Categories
-sides Vegetarian

Crispy Roast Potatoes

  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon (4g) baking soda
  • 4 pounds (about 2 kg) russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters, sixths, or eighths, depending on size
  • 5 tablespoons (75ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • Small handful picked fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Small handful fresh parsley leaves, minced
  1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F/230°C (or 400°F/200°C if using convection). Heat 2 quarts (2L) water in a large pot over high heat until boiling. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt (about 1 ounce; 25g), baking soda, and potatoes and stir. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until a knife meets little resistance when inserted into a potato chunk, about 10 minutes after returning to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, combine olive oil, with rosemary, garlic, and a few grinds of black pepper in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook, stirring and shaking pan constantly, until garlic just begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Immediately strain oil through a fine-mesh strainer set in a large bowl. Set garlic/rosemary mixture aside and reserve separately.
  3. When potatoes are cooked, drain carefully and let them rest in the pot for about 30 seconds to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Transfer to bowl with infused oil, season to taste with a little more salt and pepper, and toss to coat, shaking bowl roughly, until a thick layer of mashed potato–like paste has built up on the potato chunks.
  4. Transfer potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and separate them, spreading them out evenly. Transfer to oven and roast, without moving, for 20 minutes. Using a thin, flexible metal spatula to release any stuck potatoes, shake pan and turn potatoes. Continue roasting until potatoes are deep brown and crisp all over, turning and shaking them a few times during cooking, 30 to 40 minutes longer.
  5. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and add garlic/rosemary mixture and minced parsley. Toss to coat and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Categories
Fish

Lemon Cream Oven Baked Cod

  • 4 x 150- 180g / 5 – 6 oz fish fillets , about 1.5cm / 1/2″ thick, skinless and boneless (Note 1)
  • 50g / 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1 – 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 1/2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
  • Fresh parsley and lemon slices , to serve

Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (all oven types).

Place fish in a baking dish – ensure the fish isn’t crammed in too snugly. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper.

Place butter, cream, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a microwave proof jug or bowl. Microwave in 2 x 30 sec bursts, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.

Sprinkle fish with shallots, then pour over sauce.

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until fish is just cooked. Remove from oven and transfer fish to serving plates. Spoon over sauce, and garnish with parsley and lemon wedges if using.

Categories
Fish Soup

Basque Soup

  • 1 lb. raw tuna, cut into ½-inch cubes (I used mussels and small shrimps as a substitute)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 green red pepper, coarsely chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lb. yellow potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. pimentón (smoked paprika)**I added sambal olek to make it spicy
  • Coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves, for garnish
  • OPTIONAL-fish bullion cube and sambal olek)
  1. In a medium bowl, season the tuna (or seafood you want) lightly with salt and toss to coat. Set aside.
  2. To a large pot set over medium heat, add the oil; when the oil is hot, add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and translucent, 8–10 minutes.
  3. Add the potatoes and garlic, season with salt, and continue cooking until vegetables are softened but not colored, 3–5 minutes.
  4. Add the pimentón (and sambal) and 3 cups water (*I added fish flavored bullion) and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 13–15 minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat, add the tuna, and immediately cover the pan. Set aside until the fish is just barely cooked through, 3–5 minutes.
Categories
Bakery Desserts

Apple Pie

  • 1 recipe for double pie crust
  • 2 1/4 lbs Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored  6-7 apples (7 cups thinly sliced)
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinamon 
  • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 Tbsp  flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg , + 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash
  1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
  2. Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Whisk  in 3 Tbsp flour then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in 1/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue simmering 3 minutes, whisking frequently then remove from heat.
  3. Peel, remove cores and thinly slice 7 cups of apples and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon and toss to combine. Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices.
  4. Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out bottom pie crust to a 12″ diameter circle. Wrap it around your rolling pin to transfer it to the pie pan. Add apple mixture, mounding slightly in the center and being careful not to get the filling on the edges which would make it difficult to seal.
  5. Roll second crust into an 11″ round and cut into 10 even thickness strips. Arrange strips in a woven lattice pattern over the top (see video tutorial). Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water and brush the top with egg mixture.
  6. Bake at 425˚F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking another 45 minutes or until apples are soft and filling is bubbling through the vents. Rest at room temp 1 hour before serving.

link Natasha

Categories
Bakery Desserts

Pie Crust

* 2 ½ cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour

* 1 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1 tablespoon sugar, optional

* 1 cup (230 grams) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 sticks)

*4 to 8 tablespoons ice water

  1. Add 1 1/2 c flour, salt, and sugar to the food processor (or a bowl). Pulse 2 – 3 times (or cut) until combined.

2. Scatter cubes of butter and mix for 15 seconds until all the flour is coated. Scrape sides and add the remaining 1 cup flour and pulse 4 -5 times until crumbly

3.transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with ice water-maybe 4 tablespoons and use a rubber spatula to smush it together. Add more water if needed. You should be able to make it into a ball that holds together.

4. take the ball out and cut it in half. Then shape into flat discs, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. (you can freeze it for up to 3 months)

5. On a lightly floured surface, take out one disc and roll into a 12 inch round (or whatever size your pie pan is) Put the pan with crust into the fridge for 20 minutes (or freezer for 5) before filling and cooking.

6. Take out crust after the cooling and let it sit for 5 minutes. Roll out the second disc and cut into strips for the top.

7. Follow recipe for apple pie filling or whatever you are making and just before baking, make the egg wash by whisking cream and egg together and brushing onto the pie.

Categories
Desserts

Pumpkin Cheescake

Joy of baking video

Crust:

  • 1 cup (100 grams) Graham Cracker Crumbs (or crushed Digestive Biscuits)
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) crushed ginger cookies, homemade or store bought
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar (optional)
  • 4 – 5 tablespoons (55-70 grams) melted butter, cooled to room temperature

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

  • 2/3 cup (145 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
  • 16 ounces (450 grams) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 large (150 grams) eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 grams) pure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
  • Topping:1 cup (225 grams) full fat sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

Pumpkin Cheesecake: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) spring form pan. 

Crust: In a medium sized bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, crushed ginger cookies, sugar, and melted butter. (This can be done in your food processor.) Evenly press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake about 8 minutes or until set. Let cool while you make the cheesecake filling.

Pumpkin Cheesecake: In a separate bowl, combine the sugar with the ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese, on low speed, until smooth. Add the sugar mixture and beat until combined and creamy smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree. Pour the filling over the crust and place the spring form pan onto a larger baking sheet to catch any drips.

Before baking the cheesecake, place a pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven. This will keep the air moist. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees C (180 degrees C) and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees C (165 degrees C) and continue to bake the cheesecake for another 10 – 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center still looks a little wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan. 

Topping: Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream with the vanilla extract and sugar. Immediately spread the topping over the cheesecake and return to the oven and bake about 8 to 10 minutes to set the topping. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Loosen the cheesecake from the pan by running a flat spatula or sharp knife around the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking). Then place a piece of foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving. This cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for about five days, or it can be frozen.