Monday, January 30, 2012

Moroccan Fish Cakes in Lemon Sauce


Adapted from Levana Kirshchenbaum


Ingredients:


For the fish cakes:
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless fish fillets, such as cod, hoki, scrod, flounder, sole, tilapia or salmon, cut into big chunks (children usually prefer a mild fish such as cod, hoki or sole)
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, stems removed - sometimes I use corriander/cilantro - yum!
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • dash of nutmeg
  • dash of cayenne
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

For the sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • pinch of saffron threads
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
 Method:

1. Combine the fish, onion, parsley or coriander/cilantro, egg, oil, lemon zest, nutmeg salt and pepper to taste in a food processor, and process until perfectly smooth. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl, add the bread crumbs, and GENTLY mix thoroughly. With wet hands, shape the fish mixture into 6 oval patties.
2. Combine the water, saffron, turmeric, oil, lemon juice, and capers and bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan over high heat.
3. Add the fish patties to the pot and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the patties to a platter. Reduce the liquid in the pot until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the mustard and stir until smooth. Pour the sauce over the patties. Serve warm or at room temperature.

YIELD: About 6-8 fish course servings

K (p)

Friday, January 27, 2012

Lemon Butter Sauce ~ good for fish or veggies!

This delicious sauce only takes 3 -4 minutes to make.  If you are making it for Shabbat, make this last.  You can set it aside on a blech until serving time. It is a thin sauce - not at all thick like hollandaise so a little goes a long way.  Still, I normally double this recipe.

Ingredients: 

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs dry white vermouth OR Cheap dry white wine (my daughter figured this out!)
Salt and white pepper
1 stick (115 g) chilled butter cut in to 12 fingertip-size pieces

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, slowly boil the lemon juice, vermouth, and ¼ tablespoon of salt. Boil down to about 1 tablespoon. A piece or two at a time, beat in the chilled pieces of butter, adding another piece or two just as the previous pieces just have melted, so that the sauce remains ivory colored, rather than looking like melted butter.

Keep warm until serving time. 

A little goes a long way - but I normally double the recipe as it is just so yummy spooned over vegetables and fish.  In the photo below, I served the Lemon Butter Sauce with salmon and asparagus. Often, I will toss on a few capers as they are so delicious.


Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Easy Alfredo Sauce

 
Use a package of kosher cream cheese - put this in a milchig pan.
Pour some milk over it and grate heaps of parmesean cheese over it. Turn this on low. 
Chop up some parsley and chuck most of it in (save some for teh pretty!) 
Add one pressed clove of garlic.
Now, for added taste, use a bit of salt, pepper, a bit of cayenne and especially some nutmeg or allspice to give it that unique flavour. Let it all blend together over low heat until everything is melted and creamy. If it gets too thick, add some more milk.

I use the 1/3 less fat variety of cream cheese but I don't think it makes much difference.  Simply do one more push up the next day.  Or take the stairs.

Sometimes I will separate out some of the sauce and mix in a tablespoon or so of pesto. Very nice.

Serve with fettuccine pasta (or whatever you have in the house)  Oh, and bread.  And wine.

I will clean up this recipe a bit another day ~ I am currently finishing up the last of the leftover wine from Shabbat...as one does.