Quenelles are an oval shaped, delicate fish mousse often served as a first course. Our version features an optical illusion - creamy goat cheese shaped like a fish quenelle. To make them, place goat cheese mixture in one oval spoon and use a second one to finish moulding the mixture.
This warm potato salad is very versatile. Serve it with Cauliflower with Cheese Crumble as a vegetarian dinner or as a side with grilled chicken, fish or even hamburgers. It is also perfect for a buffet table. If you don’t like feta you can use goat cheese.
This is the perfect salad to serve with chicken. It’s crisp, soft, rich and cool.
This recipe is based on a favourite Japanese appetizer, Denkgaku eggplant. If you don’t want to use an egg yolk, just omit.
This is a great appetizer served on skewers or a main course tossed with the Sriracha.
In her excellent book Around My French Table, Dorie Greenspan has a recipe for cured salmon that my daughter Emma successfully adapted to fit our seder table as an alternative to gefilte fish. This keeps for a week.
Ready time: Ready in: two days, including marinating time
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
2 1/2 tbsp kosher salt or other coarse salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 one-pound salmon fillet, cut from the thickest portion of the fish, skinned
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves, halved
8 thyme sprigs
1 large carrot, trimmed, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Olive oil to cover salmon
2 tsp grated lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice
Lemon or lime wedges, for serving
Method
At least one day before serving: Stir the salt and sugar together in a bowl. Slice the salmon into 12 equal pieces (about two-inch pieces) and toss the pieces into the bowl, gently turning the salmon around to coat it evenly. (It’s easiest to use your hands for this.) Massage the salt and sugar in.
Layer the salmon snugly in a bowl or terrine, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24. You can also use 1/2 litre canning jars.
Remove salmon and rinse under cold water discarding any brine. Pat dry.
Repack the salmon into the bowl or terrine layering it with coriander seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, carrot, onion, lemon zest and juice. Pour in enough of the olive oil to cover the ingredients and seal the bowl or cover the terrine tightly. Chill for at least six hours, or for up to a week.
Slice the salmon thinly and plate with some spicy lettuce or frisée and a little juice from the jar. Alternately, you can serve directly from the jars with lemon or lime wedges.
This smoky, fiery tapas is so popular in Madrid that many bars have their own version. They are usually deep-fried but I prefer to bake them for ease.
Servings: 4 as tapas
Potatoes
1.5 lbs (750 g) Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut in a rough 1-inch dice
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Bravas sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped Spanish onion
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp or more hot smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 796 ml can tomatoes, puréed
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
Aioli
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp minced garlic or more to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Method
Preheat oven to 400 F
Toss potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and tender, turning occasionally. Remove from oven and sprinkle with extra salt. Reserve.
Heat oil in skillet over medium low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes or until soft. Stir in paprika and chili flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Add sugar and sherry vinegar and bring back to boil. Season well with salt to taste. Reserve.
Combine mayonnaise with garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Place potatoes on serving plate and top with tomato bravas sauce. Streak with the aioli and sprinkle with parsley.
Our friend Woody Wells drew inspiration for this salad from Judy Rodgers, author of the classic The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. Do not dress the salad until right before serving. For texture make sure the breadcrumbs are coarse, not finely processed.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
Garnish:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 Belgian endives, shredded
1 head radicchio, shredded (about 6 cups)
11/4 cups chopped red onion
1 egg, hard-boiled
Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 anchovies, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
METHOD
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and toast, stirring until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Place endive and radicchio in a medium bowl with onion. Grate egg over the salad.
Whisk together mustard, anchovies, garlic, vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss salad with vinaigrette, then breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
WINE PAIRING
This salad, enticing though it is, will be kind to no wine. Pungent mustard, sharp vinegar, egg, raw onion – that’s quite the arsenal. Best to go with a very crisp, light Mediterranean white. -Beppi Crosariol
This is a terrific way to cook winter greens. We used dandelion, but Swiss chard, turnip greens, collards and escarole will all work.
Pecans:
1 cup pecans
1 egg white
1 tablespoon sugar
Salad:
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 strips bacon, diced
1 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
2 bunches dandelion greens, stems removed
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Toss pecans with egg white and sugar. Lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until pecans are dry and crisped.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp.
Remove bacon and reserve. Add onions and garlic and sauté until softened.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat and add greens. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until just wilted.
Add vinegar and mix together. Place on a platter and scatter with bacon and pecans. Serve warm. Serves 4.