Salmon Wellington (Jessie, Food Network)

Ingredients

4-5 Tbs butter

4 leeks, washed and sliced

1 red onion, finely sliced

2 Tbs dried tarragon

½ cup white wine

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

2 puff pastry sheets, thawed (typically bought frozen)

Flour, for dusting surface

1 egg plus 2 tsp water for egg wash

2-3 pounds salmon fillet, skin removed (can ask at fish counter to remove skin)

Directions

Takes about 2 hours (active time is 30 min)

Serves about 6-8

Preheat oven to 350oF. 

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, red onion, tarragon and saute until onion mix is soft (about 10 min). Add the wine, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Let liquid boil off, add salt and pepper, and let cool.

Unfold 1 pastry sheet and lay it on lightly floured surface. Brush 1 edge with the egg wash and overlap the other sheet by 2 inches. Roll the pastry out until it big enough to fold over the salmon. Spoon the leek mixture down the center of the pastry. Place salmon on top of leeks and fold pastry over the salmon. Egg wash the edge going down the middle to seal and press well. Place the salmon seam side down on a lightly buttered or oiled sheet pan. Brush all over with egg wash.

Cook for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 min before slicing.

Implements

Baking sheet

Rolling pin and board

Comments

This absolutely wows guests but is actually pretty easy. A side sauce might be nice such as a hollandaise or yogurt with dill or tzatziki.

Potato Latke - Maya's version

Ingredients

6 potatoes (unpeeled)

1 zucchini

2 medium onions

3 eggs

2/3 cup flour

S+P to taste

2 garlic cloves

Directions

- Work 1 batch at a time.  Grate potatoes and zucchini, place in a colander lined with a tea towel.  Add a generous pinch of salt, massage into grated mixture.

- Meanwhile, whisk eggs + salt and pepper.  Grate onions.

- Wring tea towel to remove as much liquid as possible, add solids to egg mixture. 

- Drain off as much liquid from onions, add to the rest of the ingredients.

- Sprinkle over flour, mix until combined

- Prepare two cookie trays with cooling wracks, place double paper towels on top of cooling wracks.

- Fry latkes, pressing out liquid with slotted spoon before adding to pan.  Transfer to lined cookie trays

- Put oven on warm, line a third cookie tray with double paper towels.  Once first two trays are full, place latkes into warmer tray in a scalloped fashion (slightly overlapping to fit more).

- Leave on warm uncovered until ready to eat

Comments

- Switch out oil every two batches to avoid smoking