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.

Fish or Shrimp Tacos - (really fast prep - 30 minutes start to table)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds shrimp peeled and deveined, or same quantity some firm white fish
2 big cloves garlic
butter - to taste (could replace with olive oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt - (or sour cream if you are feeling decadent)
3 T Mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon cumin -  actually I prefer more, but add to taste
3 Limes quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt (kosher, of course)
8  6-inch soft tortillas - corn or flour, I prefer flour
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1 small jar tomatillo green salsa
hot sauce or pepper flakes to taste - watch out - these creep up on you fast
Tequilla for flavoring if so inclined

Directions
Start the margaritas and get ready for a treat

Heat up the serving and dining plates if you live somewhere cold

Clean up the shrimp or seafood and rinse well, pat dry and set aside

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonaise, cumin, salt, and squeeze at least 1/4 of a lime into the mix.  Add a bit of tomotilla sauce, or pepper flakes, or chilli sauce to taste. Mix up and taste. Adjust seasonings.

Warm up a medium skillet, and melt the butter (or olive oil)
Toss in the minced garlic and stir quickly around - don't overcook or burn the garlic - don't let it get all browned. Squeeze in 1/4 of a lime worth of lime juice - more to taste.  You can also add in a Tablespoon of good tequilla if so inclined.

Toss in the seafood and cook , just enough to be done - don't overcook - stirring often.  While cooking seafood, get everyone to sit down at the table.  Refill the margarita glasses.

When you are just a minute short of having the seafood done, put the first servings of tortillas on a single plate covered with a paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds

When the tortillas and seafood are done, assemble the tortillas as follows and bring to the table:
lay a tortilla out on a warmed dining plate
spoon in 1-2 Tablespoons (or more to taste) of the yogurt mixture and spread around
drop a small handfull of shredded cabbage on top of the yogurt
then gently place a serving of fish on the bed of cabbage.
Squeeze some fresh lime juice on top of fish
Fold tortilla in half , garnish with a lime quarter and deliver steaming to the table
Repeat for each guest

Return to the kitchen and warm up the 2nd batch of tortillas when everyone screams for seconds.


Implements
small mixing bowl
microwave proof plate
medium sauce pan
garlic mincer

Comments
Makes enough for 4

Baked Prawns (Greece) - Diane's friend Connie

From Food

From Food

Ingredients
2 lbs lg/med uncooked prawns
1 med onion, finely chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes (drained)
1/2 Cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 t dried oregano
Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 oz. feta cheese crumbled

Directions
Shell prawns, devein and rinse
Drain and dry with paper towels and refrigerate until required

Heat oil in a pan & gently fry onion until transparent. Add green onions & garlic. Cook 2 minutes longer

Add tomatoes, wine, most of the parsley, oregano, salt & pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until thick.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Spoon half the tomato sauce into a large oven proof dish (9 x 14)
Add prawns in a single layer & spoon remaining sauce over them.
Coarsely crumble the feta and sprinkle on top.

Place uncovered dish into 500 degree oven for about 12 minutes until prawn tails are pink, meat has firmed up, feta has melted and it is lightly browned.

Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Implements
Large sauce pan with lid
oven proof pan 9 x 14 or equivalent

Comments
Serves 6

Octopus (Edgar)

Ingredients
½ pound octopus/person
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 medium potato /person
½ medium onion/person
Garlic
Capers ½ teaspoon /person
1/8 cup red wine/person
parsley flakes
Bay Leaf
Pepper


Directions
Precook the octopus with a bay leaf and garlic. Cover with water. Bring to a boil
and simmer till soft. The water will take a brownish cast. Test for softness with a
sharp knife. Check by cutting off a piece and tasting it. This could be done a day or
two ahead of time. Store in a refrigerator with the liquid in which it was cooked.
However, you can achieve an excellent result without storing ahead of time.

When the octopus is mostly cooked, peel potatoes – one medium size/person, cut
in chunks and fry in a non-stick frying pan with olive oil till the potatoes are nicely
brown & crisp on all sides. When the potatoes are almost done add an onion & garlic
and continue frying until the onion is softened

Drain the octopus in a colander saving the liquid. Cut the octopus in bite size chunks.
And place these in the pan in which you were frying the potatoes. Add parsley,
more garlic, a small tomato or tomato paste, capers, red wine, and pepper to taste.
Use your imagination. I used the above ingredients because I found some of them
mentioned in other octopus recipes. I think plum sauce may also be a good additive.

Add enough of the reserved liquid to cover all the ingredients in the frying pan.
Cook a bit more till the amount of liquid is somewhat reduced. Taste and cook until
you achieve the consistency that pleases you.

Serve piping hot.



Comments

This dish goes well with a salad with oil & vinegar dressing.
Mark Bittman writes that this is one of the last undiscovered seafood’s in this
country. Most is caught off our shores and then shipped frozen to Europe where
they have the graciousness to send some of it back. The best meal on our last trip
to the Adriatic was octopus and that is what inspired me to cook this as a surprise
dinner for Eva.

If you purchase the octopus frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator or cold water. Octopus freezes
well.