Category: cooking class

this is fairly dry rubbed salmon with a bright and beautiful full flavored sauce.

2 t dried basil
2 t dried thyme
2 t dried oregano
1/2 dried and crushed rosemary
1 T black peppercorns
2 T flour
1/2 t salt
6 4oz salmon fillets
2 T olive oil

preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a spice grinder or mortar bowl, add the following: basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary and peppercorns. Grind until fine. Transfer to a bowl and stir in flour and salt.

Lightly brush the olive oil on the salmon. Dredge the salmon in the spice mixture, coating them well. Arrange salmon on a lightly oiled baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

sun-dried tomato sauce

1/2 c dry white wine
1/4 c sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (if packed in oil, drain and pat dry)
1 1/2 t lemon juice
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into slices

in a skilled, comine wine, tomatoes, lemon juice and shallot. Simmer over medium until the liquid is reduced to 2 Tablespoons. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter, one chunk at a time. The sauce should not get hot enough to liquefy and should be the consistency of a thin hollandaise.

Serve alongside or on top of roasted salmon. enjoy!

16 oz smoked salmon
1 T butter
2/3 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 t. ground bay
1/4 t. fennel seed
1/2 t dijon mustard
1 T anchovy paste
1 package frozen puff pastry shees
1 egg beaten

1 c sour cream
1 t chives
1 t dried dill

thaw pastry sheets for 20 minutes and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

open up the salmon, remove and bones or skin. In a skillet, melt butter. Add onions, garlic, bay and fennel. Cook over low heat until onion is wilted. Put salmon and onion mixture in food processor bowl. Blend briefly until mixed. Add mustard, anchovy paste and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

Unfold thawed pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 16 2 1/2″ squares.

Place a well rounded teaspoon of the salmon mix in the center of each square. Fold pastry at opposite corners to forma triangle. Seal edges by pressing with a fork.
Brush tops with beaten egg and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Mix sour cream with chives and dill. Serve on side.

Makes 32.

Chutney

3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
2 t. minced garlic
1 t. peeled and minced ginger root
3/4 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. mustard seed
3 tart apples, peeled, cored and diced

Place sugar and vinegar in a 3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients to the pan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for about 45 minutes or until reduced and thickened.
Transfer to a non reactive container and chill well.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Cheese Pate

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1-2 cups (your taste) cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1/2 – 1 t curry powder
1/4 c dry sherry
2 green onion, finely diced

Mix cream cheese and cheddar together. Add curry powder and sherry and mix thoroughly. Pack in a plastic wrap lined bowl. Cover and refrigerate. To serve, invert onto a serving plate and top with chutney and sprinkle with green onion. Serve with french bread rounds, na’an or a nice cracker.

tonight we cooked some fun dishes. About half the usual suspects arrived so we were each able to get more hands on product. There were some good dishes and some that I would change and some that were not for me.

• white bean slather. why is it called slather? slather – to spread or pour lavishly
• cream of asparagus soup – Amazing. I loved this. creamy and warm with bright green asparagus tips. I will post this recipe soon.
• chicken piccata – it had great flavor. I love capers.
• fruit and pasta salad with peach poppy seed vinaigrette – ok, I admit. I think making pasta is terribly cool. The ending flavor profile didn’t interest me much but I can’t tell you how much I love making bowties.
• twice baked cheesy spaghetti squash – strange. I thought spaghetti squash was supposed to be the lo-cal version of a fatty dish. This was full of cheese. It tasted good.
• good humor baked alaska with orange chocolate sauce – Paul and I made this one. Really beautiful and interesting but I would make individual servings because slicing it stinks. So pretty. I am having a thing for pretty food this week.