Warm Camembert with Wild Mushroom Fricassee

Ingredients

1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 (8-ounce) wheel of ripe Camembert in its wooden box, at room temperature
1 tablespoon walnut oil
3/4 pound wild mushrooms, trimmed, caps thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large sage leaves, minced
sourdough toasts, for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the walnut pieces on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Lower the oven temperature to 300°.
3. Remove the Camembert from the box and unwrap it. Put the cheese back in the bottom half of the box and set it on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until soft.
4. In a large skillet, heat the walnut oil. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 3 minutes longer.
5. Add the shallot and cook until softened, 2 minutes.
6. Stir in the parsley and sage; season with salt and pepper.
7. Invert the Camembert onto a platter. Stir the walnuts into the mushrooms and spoon over the cheese. Serve with the toasts.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Chef Daniel Boulud

---

Today’s Comic

 

 

 

Oven-roasted Salmon with Cauliflower and Mushrooms

Ingredients

Currant-Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup dried currants
3 tbsp finely chopped shallots
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cauliflower and Mushrooms

1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
1-1/4 pounds assorted mushrooms, such as cremini, oyster, and stemmed shiitakes, large mushrooms halved lengthwise
1/4 cup very finely chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage leaves

Salmon

4 (5-oz) salmon fillets with skin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Make the vinaigrette. In a small heavy saucepan, bring the wine, currants, shallots, vinegar, and brown sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the currants are plump and the liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl.
4. Prepare the cauliflower and mushrooms. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the oil to coat. Season to taste with salt. Spread on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and lightly browned.
5. Remove from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F.
6. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then add the mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for about 4 minutes, or until golden on the bottom.
7. Stir the mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes more, or until tender and well browned.
8. Stir the roasted cauliflower, shallots, and garlic into the mushrooms and cook until the shallots soften, about 1 minute. Stir in the sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the cauliflower mixture to the baking sheet and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the skillet.
9. Cook the salmon. Using a sharp knife, score the skin side of the salmon. Season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, then place the salmon skin side down in the skillet and cook, for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown.
10. Turn the salmon over, transfer the skillet to the oven, and roast for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the salmon is mostly opaque with a rosy center when flaked in the thickest part with the tip of a small knife. Meanwhile, if necessary, uncover the cauliflower mixture and rewarm in the oven.
11. Transfer the salmon to a platter or four dinner plates. Spoon the cauliflower mixture around the salmon and drizzle with some vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds, if using. Serve the remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: What’s for Dinner

---

Today’s Comic

 

 

 

Spinach and Mushroom Roulade

Ingredients

8 oz frozen spinach or 1 lb fresh spinach
knob of butter
4 eggs, separated
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

Filling

1/2 oz butter
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 cup milk
pinch of nutmeg

Method

1. Line a 12 x 8 inch Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper and oil lightly, or make a case of the same measurements with aluminium foil.
2. Cook the spinach with a knob of butter until completely softened. Drain the spinach well, chop if fresh and place in a large bowl.
3. Add the egg yolks and beat them well into the spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until just holding their shape.
5. Using a metal spoon, quickly fold these into the spinach mixture.
6. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the surface, and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 10 minutes.
7. Make the filling. Heat the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the mushrooms until softened.
8. Stir in the flour and cook for a further 1 minute.
9. Slowly stir in the milk and cook until thickened.
10. Stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
11. Remove the roulade from the oven and turn out on to a sheet of greaseproof paper.
12. Spread the mushroom filling over the surface and gently roll the roulade up.
13. Serve immediately

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Source: The Encyclopedia of Creative Cookery

---

Today’s Comic

 

 

 

Stuffed Lobster with Cheese and Mushroom

Ingredients

2 fresh baby lobsters
1/4 cup canned mushrooms (sliced)
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1 clove mashed garlic
1 shallot (minced)
1/8 cup grated cheese
1 oz butter
1/2 tbsp flour
1/4 cup white wine

Seasonings

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp evaporated milk
pinch of ground black pepper

Method

1. Remove urine from lobsters annd cut each into halves. Steam until done. Separate meat from the shell. Dice the meat and save the shells. Set aside.
2. Mix seasoning ingredients in a bowl.
3. Heat butter in a pan. Saute mushroom, mustard powder, garlic, shallot and lobster. Sprinkle with wine.
4. Mix in flour and stir well. Slowly pour in seasonings and simmer until sauce thickens.
5. Add half portion of cheese and stir to combine.
6. Stuff lobster shells with the lobster mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the stuffing.
7. Put lobsters in preheated 220°C oven and bake 3-5 minutes until slightly brown. Remove and serve right away.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Seafood

---

Today’s Comic

 

 

 

Quails with Grapes

Ingredients

2 oz pancetta
4 large quails
3-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
vegetable oil
2 shallots, peeled
1/4 cup light white wine
1 tsp brown sugar
6 tbsp brown chicken stock
7 oz button mushrooms, wiped
1 sprig of thyme, leaves picked
8 grape leaves
small bunches of green and red grapes
salt
black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the pancetta into 4 pieces and put one inside each quail.
3. Place a roasting pan on the stove top and heat 2 tablespoons of the butter with 1/2 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until foaming.
4. Season the quails and turn them in the butter and oil until golden, then place them in the hot oven to roast for about 8 minutes until cooked but still pink.
5. Remove the quails from the pan and leave them to rest in a warm place.
6. Add a finely chopped shallot to the roasting pan and cook gently until softened. Add the wine and sugar, then the stock and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and stir in a tablespoon of butter to finish the sauce. Check the seasoning.
8. Set aside 12 of the mushrooms and finely chop the rest.
9. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a pan with the remaining shallot, finely chopped, and the thyme leaves, then add the chopped mushrooms. Once cooked, add a spoonful of the sauce to moisten the mixture. Divide this among 4 of the grape leaves and wrap them up into little parcels.
10. Briefly saute the whole mushrooms in the remaining butter until tender.
11. Peel the grapes if desired and remove any seeds if necessary.
12. Just before you’re ready to serve, pat the remaining grape leaves dry. Pour some vegetable oil into a frying pan to a depth of about 3/8 inch and heat. Shallow-fry the grape leaves until crisp. Meanwhile, place the stuffed grape leaves in a steamer over simmering water for a few minutes to reheat.
13. Serve the quail with the stuffed grape leaves and garnish with the button mushrooms, fried leaves, and a few grapes. If you have time, try fixing a few green and red grapes on to one stalk.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

---

Today’s Comic