Wonderful Food Dishes for the Spring
By Alexandra Jacobs
Smoked Salmon Roulades
photo by Williams-Sonoma
Salmon is equally enjoyed in both fresh and smoked variations. A salmon filet sprinkled with a delicate herb and citrus seasoning and cooked with a little white wine, then served with an accompaniment of roast asparagus makes a perfect spring presentation. Salmon is a very popular dish within New York and The Hamptons. Visiting friends in their hamptons home is when I always experience a new salmon or fish prepared dish. Smoked salmon is a key ingredient for many springtime appetizers, such as smoked salmon-studded deviled eggs or this impressive roulade presentation found from Williams-Sonoma
Ingredients:
About 14 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon, trimmed on waxed paper into
6 rectangles, each 6 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches, trimmings reserved
2 tsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup bottled clam juice or fish broth
1 1/2 tsp. powdered gelatin
2 drops Tabasco or other hot-pepper sauce
1 drop Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
3 Tbs. wasabi tobiko or salmon roe
Directions:
In a food processor, combine 1/4 cup of the salmon trimmings and the butter. Process just until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
In a small saucepan, combine the clam juice and gelatin. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place the pan over low heat and stir just until the gelatin dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces. Pour into the food processor with the salmon mixture and pulse 3 or 4 times, just to blend. Transfer to a large bowl.
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the salmon mixture and gently fold together. Gently fold in the remaining cream just until no streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow the gelatin to begin setting.
Place a piece of plastic wrap slightly larger than a salmon rectangle on a work surface, and place a salmon rectangle on top, long side facing you. If necessary, patch with trimmings to make the correct-size rectangle. (Don’t worry if there are a few gaps; these may be concealed with the caviar garnish.) Spoon about 3 Tbs. of the salmon mousse lengthwise across the center of the salmon. Using the plastic wrap, pull the edge of the salmon nearest you up and over the mousse and down in the back to meet the other edge. Twist the ends of the plastic to seal and pat into an even log. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 5 more rolls. Place all the rolls in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Remove from the freezer and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the plastic and trim off the untidy ends. Slice the salmon rolls into rounds 3/4 inch thick and place on a platter. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to finish thawing.
Place a generous 1/4 tsp. of the tobiko near the edge of each round and serve. Makes about 32 cold bites.
Recipe 2:
Roast Racks of Lamb
Lamb is a popular entrée choice for spring. Whether one chooses a leg of lamb or a rack of lamb to roast, seasoning the meat with imbedded garlic cloves or a lemon and herb outer crust provides a flavorful headline to any springtime dinner. Shown above is a rack of lamb surrounded by roasted new potatoes and a finishing touch of fresh mint sprigs for embellishment. This makes for an elegant presentation. Below are the ingredients that you will need. Follow the rest of the directions here.
Lamb
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 3/4 pounds unpeeled new red potatoes (about 22 1 1/2-inch-diameter),
scrubbed, quartered
2 racks of lamb (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each), trimmed, frenched
Pesto
2 cups (packed) fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Fresh mint sprigs
omg I just died and pinned both these things!