Seafood Mornay Over Puff Pastry

This is a very simple but elegant dish that is sure to please guests who love seafood. Like many other recipes this starts with a roux, becomes a bechamel and with the addition of cheese becomes a mornay sauce. The seafood is poached in the sauce and will be moist and not overcooked. It can be flavored with any number of herbs or spices to your taste. Here you see the seafood mornay served with some parmesan roasted vegetables. 

I did this dinner tonight with no recipes but will try to show you about what I did. 

Ingredients:(to serve two )

4 Puff Pastry Shells

3 TBSP Unsalted Butter

3 TBSP Flour

1/4 of a Sweet Onion - finely diced

2 Cloves Garlic - crushed

Heavy Cream

Whole Milk

Chicken Broth

1/2 Cup Grated Gruyere Cheese

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Nutmeg

Paprika

Chopped Fresh Parsley

Chopped Fresh Oregano

Dried Tarragon

1/2 LB Bay Scallops

1/2 LB Wild Caught Shrimp -  Peeled and Deveined

Preparation:

Bake four puff pastry shells per package directions. Be sure to remove tops and clean out the sticky middle portion after baking. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Whisk flour into the butter to form a smooth paste(roux) and cook for a couple of minutes, being careful not to burn the roux. Add onion and garlic to the roux and cook until onion is tender and translucent. Begin adding cream to the roux a little at a time while whisking. I like to add cream only until the sauce is quite thick. I then begin to thin the sauce a little at a time by adding some whole milk and a little chicken broth, maybe a 1/2 cup each. When your sauce is about the consistency of heavy cream, whisk in the Gruyere and Parmesan. This will thicken the sauce so that it clings to a spoon. Flavor with salt and pepper and crushed red pepper, nutmeg and paprika to taste. 

Add about 2 TBSP of chopped parsley and a tsp or two of the oregano. A couple of pinches of tarragon will really top off the flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. Always remember when working with herbs and spices, it is easier to add more than to take it out, so go slowly adding a little at a time until you have the flavor you are looking for. When the sauce is at a consistency and flavor you like add the tiny bay scallops and the shrimp. Cook on low heat until the shrimp turn pink and the scallops are white and firm. It will only take a few minutes to cook the seafood. To serve, place two puff pasty shells on a plate and fill to overflowing with the seafood/sauce mixture. Top with a little chopped fresh parsley  and enjoy.

Parmesan Broth with White Beans and Swiss Chard

 

You may not be thinking about soup at this time of year, but I find that this relatively light soup makes a wonderful first course for a meal of grilled steak or seafood pasta. It is hardy enough to make a meal of in the winter months as well, but when I use it as a first course I serve a small portion in a shallow soup bowl and it works great. Swiss chard is plentiful this time of year and this is a way to use it. I originally found this recipe in a newspaper many years ago, but have altered it a little to suit my taste. The recipe was conceived by Sara Jenkins of Porsena and Porchetta in New York. 

Ingredients: (serves 8-10)

12 Cups Chicken Stock

12 Ounces Parmesan Rinds (available at Whole Foods or most cheese stores)

2 Garlic Cloves - smashed & diced

3 TBSP Olive Oil

1 Dried Red Chili Pepper - crumbled

6 Cups Loosely Packed Swiss Chard Leaves - Stems Removed and Cut into Thin Ribbons

3 Cups Canned Cannellini Beans - Drained

1-2 tsp Lemon Zest

Salt and Pepper to taste

Toasted Baguette Slices

Olive Oil to Drizzle

Preparation:

Over low heat, steep the parmesan rinds in the chicken stock for about 45 minutes, until the rinds are very soft and starting to fall apart. Strain the liquid and reserve. In a heavy bottomed soup pot saute the garlic in the olive oil until it is translucent. Add the crumbled red chili and the Swiss Chard leaves. Using a tongs, stir to coat the leaves in the oil and garlic mixture. Add the warm stock and the cannellini beans and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the lemon zest. To serve, place a slice of toasted baguette into a soup bowl. Ladle the soup over the baguette and drizzle with a little olive oil.