Thanks Browneye - Another Outstanding Dinner!

[Peggy]

Browneye,

Once again, let me extend my sincere thanks for your contributing to a great dinner at my house! You posted recipes for "Phyllo-Wrapped Salmon with Leeks and Red Bell Pepper" and "Crisp Potato Pancakes with Goat Cheese on Mixed Greens" back in June. I just now got around to making these tonight. (I get sooo many good recipes off this BB it is hard to fit them all in!). Anyway, a big thumbs up to both. Dinner was outstanding! Both were fairly easy to prepare and definately would be good choices for company. The only change I made was using fat-free balsamic vinaigrette on the mixed greens.

Thanks so much for sharing two great recipes!

Peggy

P.S. Here are the recipes for those that missed them the first time!


Phyllo-Wrapped Salmon with Leeks and Red Bell Pepper

4 servings


2 Tblsp Butter
4 cups matchstick-size strips red bell peppers
2 cups matchstick-size strips leek
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry
1/2- 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper (if you like it spicy add the full teaspoon.)
1/2-3/4 cup fresh sliced basil leaves (if you prefer more spice or herb, here is your chance to experiment! I think Tarragon would be a nice subsitute, too.)
1/2 tsp salt

8 sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed
4 skinless salmon fillets, 5-6 ounces
Nonstick Cooking Spray

Melt 1 tblsp butter in heavy large skillet over med-high heat. Add bell peppers and leek and saute until leek is tender, about 6 minutes. Add wine and red pepper flakes. Simmer until liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Cool. Stir in basil and salt.

Preheat oven to 400º. Melt remainig 1 tblsp butter. Place 1 pastry sheet on work surface (keep remaining phyllo sheets covered). Spray with cooking spray. Top with a second pastry sheet, spray with spray. Place 1 salmon fillet crosswise on pastry sheet, 5 inches in from one short end. Top the salmon with 1/4 of the vegetable mixture. Fold the 5 inch section of pastry over salmon. Fold in the sides, and roll up, forming a rectangular packet. Transfer to a baking sheet or dish, vegetable side up. Brush the packet with the melted butter. Repeat with remaining fillets. (can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate)

Bake salmon until pastry is golden, about 30-35 minutes at 400.

I served this alongside Crisp Potato Pancakes stuffed with Goat cheese on Mixed greens. Yummy!

Per Serving : 432 Calories; 14g Fat (36.4% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 104mg Cholesterol; 375mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.



Crisp Potato Pancakes with Goat Cheese on Mixed Greens

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For Potato Pancakes:
2 russet potatos -- peeled and shredded
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese -- (Such as Montrachet or Chevre)
4 teaspoons chives -- finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

For Pancakes: Place potatoes on double layer of sturdy paper towels or a dry kitchen towel. Press with 2 more layers of paper towels to remove moisture. Transfer potatoes to large bowl. Add salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Heat 1 tsp oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Mound 1/3 cup potatoes in skillet. Using spatula, flatten to 3-4 inches round. Repeat 3 times, forming 4 pancakes. Top each cake with 1/4 of goat cheese, sprinkle each with 1 tsp chives. Cover each with another 1/3 cup potatoes, press to adhere, enclosing the cheese completely and flattening slightly. Cook until bottoms are golden, about 6 minutes. Add another tsp olive oil to skillet.Turn pancakes over, cook until golden, about 6 minutes. (Add cooking spray if necessary for second side).

Toss greens with dressing. Divide salad among plates and top with a potato pancake!


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 178 Calories; 12g Fat (62.2% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 30mg Cholesterol; 367mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.

NOTES : From RSVP, Fleur de Lys in San Francisco.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[browneye]

Peggy-
I am so glad you liked that. I have to tell you, I made a variation on that salmon using Puff Pastry dough instead of the Phyllo, and just rolling it out a bit thinner, then cutting it into squares to fit around the salmon.
Then I used a mixture of fresh chopped herbs in with the leeks, etc. You make little "purses" around the salmon, put them seam side down on a parchment lined pan, and bake them just like the phyllo recipe. It was a special dinner, and I served this with a lemon buerre-blanc sauce. Big splurge, but very nice.
These were even better than the phyllo version, I think, but maybe a little higher in fat- (without the sauce) not sure on that, I'd have to look it up. Very special meal, indeed.\
So happy to contribute to your happiness!!!
:D

[Mandy]

These recipes look wonderful. I have a question about the salmon. How do you know when it's done? I have a hard time not over cooking my fish, and usually have to check it with a fork before I know it's done. How would I check it with the puff pastry around it? Also what do you do about the skin? Do you leave it on, or cut if off before cooking? Thanks!

[Peggy]

Mandy,

I have only made this once, but I can share my experience with you. I cut the skin off the salmon ahead of time. I used phyllo dough and just trusted the cooking time in the recipe. I cooked the phyllo packets for 30 minutes. I sliced into one packet at the end of this cooking time to check the salmon and it was cooked. It stayed nice and moist in the phyllo.

Hope that helps! I highly recommend it.

Peggy

[Lil' Lo]

Can you really refridgerate the salmon packets for up to 6 hours??? I always thought that the phyllo would dry out, however I want to try this for a dinner party this weekend! Sounds Great!

[browneye]

Lil lo-
Yes, you definitely can refrigerate either the phyllo wrapped salmon packets or the puff pastry wrapped packets. Just wrap well in plastic wrap. Remember, they are brushed with melted butter on top! That is what keeps them from drying out.

I have made this several times, both with the phyllo and the pastry dough. The pastry dough was actually done faster, and the salmon inside was perfect. Go until a nice golden brown is achieved, and you should be fine.
My experience has been that when the dough is done, the salmon is done.
Of course, I wouldn't go and buy those 3" thick King Salmon fillets or anything- just stay with the average fillet which is usually 1 or 1 1/2 inches thick or so, and about 4-5 ounces.
It isn't as tricky as it seems or appears!
Have fun!

[Chris415]

Oh, thank you so much for posting this recipe! I've been holding on to it for months now, thinking it was too fussy or should be for a special occasion. I made both the salmon and pancakes for New Year's Eve dinner. Everything came out wonderfully and it was so easy! My only change was I used feta instead of goat cheese (thought that was what I had in the house. :rolleyes: ) and didn't bother with the mixed greens (they didn't look good at the store). I had a side of sautéd kale and spinach with garlic. I had to smile to myself, it was one of those moments that I looked at my plate and said, "I could serve this in a restaurant!" Thanks for making the last meal of the year a good one!
Chris

[Lrimerman]

Browneye,

This sounds really good, I may try it with another fish (I don't like salmon), could you post the recipe for the lemon buerre-blanc sauce.

Thanks

Lisa

[shoyski]

Bumping up for the sauce recipe....pretty please. :p

[browneye]

Here are two sauces, the first obviously being very rich. I actually posted these both on another thread, where I also posted a similar recipe for Salmon Wellington, which is very similar except it is baked in Puff Pastry instead of Filo. I use these sauces on either recipe. Now, you really don't need much of the sauce, a little goes a long way. I really prefer the Lemon Buerre Blanc over CL's sauce for a special occasion. The other Salmon recipe is posted on a thread entitled "ISO meal to impress" with both the sauces.

Here you go:

Caution: this is obviously not a light sauce:

Lemon Beurre Blanc

2 tblsp. minced shallots
1/4 CUP dry white wine
1 1/2 tblsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tblsp cider vinegar
1/4 cup heavy cream
12 tblsp butter
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 tsp. lemon zest

Reduce the cream by half.
Combine shallots, wine, lemon juice, and vinegar. Reduce until nearly dry. Add the reduced heavy cream and continue to reduce slightly. Gradually whisk in the butter. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Lemon zest may be added for additional color and texture. Serve immediately.

(This shouldn't be made too far in advance, it will separate)



Here is CL's Bearnaise Sauce: (from CL Complete)
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
23 tblsp dry white wine
2 tblsp white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
dash of salt
dash of pepper
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Return liquid to saucepan; stir in sour cream. Place over low heat, and cook 1 minute or until warm, stirring frequently. Yield: 3/4 cup.