INGREDIENTS

1. For mustard-herb butter
   • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
   • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
   • 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
   • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
   • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2. For lentils
   • 1 cup French green lentils
   • 4 cups water
   • 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
   • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
   • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3. For salmon
   • 4 (6-ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet
   • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

PREPARATION

1. Make mustard-herb butter:
   1. Stir together all ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
2. Cook lentils:
   1. Bring lentils, water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain lentils.
   2. While lentils cook, chop leeks, then wash . Cook leeks in butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
   3. Add lentils with reserved cooking liquid to leeks along with 3 tablespoons mustard-herb butter and cook, stirring, until lentils are heated through and butter is melted. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
3. Sauté salmon while leeks cook:
   1. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).
   2. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.
   3. Serve salmon, topped with remaining mustard-herb butter, over lentils.

Cooks' notes:

·Mustard-herb butter can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Soften at room temperature before using (1 hour).
·Lentils can be cooked (but not drained) 1 day ahead and chilled in cooking liquid, covered (once cool).

Madeleine Shaw’s Mini fish cakes with avocado mousse

Makes: 12

Ingredients

280g pack Waitrose 2 boneless Scottish salmon fillets (cut into chunks)
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 salad onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp drained capers
1 small package of guacamole - prepared - spicy optional
1 small pomegranate - de-seeded


The recipe bellow is if you want to make fresh avocado mousse.
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 large avocado
Juice of half a lime
½ tsp chilli flakes

Method

1. Place the salmon chunks, mustard, chives, salad onion, lime juice and capers into a food processor and blitz for 20 seconds until the salmon becomes slightly minced and all the ingredients stick together.

2. Prepare cookie sheets.  Butter each cookie sheet,  Roll mixture into  miniature patties and place them on the cookie sheets.  Bake at 450 degrees.  Turn the small patties after 2 minutes of cooking. must be gold brown on each side.  Then remove the patties and place them on a papers towel to absorb any remaining oils.

3. Place small cakes on a serving platter and top each with guacamole and a pomegranate see.  Serve immediately.

4.  The fish cakes can be prepared ahead of time.  The night before and have the ready to go in the oven.  

5. Top the fish cakes with a teaspoon of avocado mousse and a pomegranate seed and you’re ready to serve! 

Summer Recipes

Asparagus with cheese and pesto

Zucchini Salad with Mozzarealla

Blue Berry Corn Salad – Summer picnic

2 tablespoons  lemon  juice 
Red pepper 
honey
olive oil 
salt 
6 ears fresh  corn roasted 
blueberries 
1/3 cup  red onion
fresh  basil
feta cheese

in a jar combine  lemon and crushed  pepper. Let stand  for 10 minutes.  Add honey,  oil and salt. Cover ans shake well.  Boil water, cook corn for 5 minutes. 
Mix all ingredients. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Sprinkle feta  before  Summer picnic 
2 tablespoons  lemon  juice 
Red pepper 
honey
olive oil 
salt 
6 ears fresh  corn roasted 
blueberries 
r
1/3 cup  red onion
fresh  basil
feta cheese

in a jar combine  lemon and crushed  pepper. Let stand  for 10 minutes.  Add honey,  oil and salt. Cover ans shake well.  Boil water, cook corn for 5 minutes. 
Mix all ingredients. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Sprinkle feta  before serving.

Green Plantain Latkes!

Plantains Latkes

1 small onion

2 medium green not to ripe plantains

¼ cup flour

1 whole egg and 1 egg white

Black pepper.

Place cookie sheet in the oven at 450 degrees. 

Using the food processor, chop the plantains and combined with chopped onions, add black pepper a little salt and then add the eggs.  Combine with a fork.  Cookie sheet should be hot, test with sprinkle of water.  Then sprinkle olive oil.  Drop ¼ cups of mixture onto the cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until golden brown in the middle rack.

Great for Hanukkah!!

Happy Thanksgiving 2014

Dear Friends,

Happy Thanksgiving!!

May your table be filled with good friends, good laughter 

and much gratitude for all the many blessings in your lives.

Salmon Timbale

Timbales of Smoked salmon and Langoustines or Prawns

Serving 2

4             Thin slices of smoked salmon

6             Uncooked Prawns

Bouillon:

8             Tbsp. White wine

1             Bay leaf

1             sprig of thyme

1             Garlic clove, sliced

6             Black peppercorns

               Pinch of salt

½            Cup water

2 Oz.      Butter

1 Tbs.    Gelatine (Optional)

4             Tbs. Cognac (Optional)

5             Tbs. Double cream - chilled

               Salt

               Cayenne pepper

2             Tbs. Olive oil

½            Lemon juice

1             Tbs. Chopped chives

½            Tbs. Fresh chopped dill

1             Tbs. Finely diced roasted red pepper.

2             Iceberg lettuce leaves

1             Tsp. lumpfish caviar

2             Lime segments

2             Cooked quail eggs.

2             Lime sgements

1.            Prepare individual ramekins with the smoked salmon, allowing the edges to flop over the ramekins.

2.            Make a mousse with the pranwns.  Poach the prawns in the bouillon for exactly 1 minute.  Do not over the prawns.   

3.            Remove the prawns from hot liquid, cool and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

4.            Boil the bouillon down to about a tablespoon of  liquid.  Strain the liquid and refrigerate.

5.            Place the prawns in a food processor, add the reduced bouillon and butter and blend until smooth.

6.            Melt the gelatine in a little cold cognac and leave aside to cool.  (This step is not necessary if you are refrigerating the salmon timbales overnight).

7.            Lightly whip the double cream and fold into the prawn puree, making sure the prawn puree and cream are at the same cold temperature.

Add the gelatine and cognac, if used.  Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Pack the mousse into the ramekins lined with the salmon.  Fold over the overlapping smoked salmon. 

8.            Mix the olive oil and lemon juice, add the chopped chives, dill, and diced roasted peppers and set aside.

9.            Chop the iceberg lettuce very finely,.  Make a ring of chopped lettuce in the middle of 2 plates to form a base.  Invert the timbales of smoked salmon on to the lettuce and spoon the red pepper vinaigrette around the timbale.

10.          Place a teaspoon of caviar on the top of  each timbale and place the quail egg on the top of the caviar.  Sprinkle a little cayenne to crown the quail egg.  Serve cold and can be made a day ahead.