How Long Do We Have to Wait for Dessert?

The recipes just keep getting better. This week was Holly’s turn to host soup night. It was fantastic. She made the best salmon cakes I have ever eaten. We ended the night with a serenade from the boys. Here is their debut track, “How Long Do We Have to Wait for Dessert?” It also gives you a little peak into soup night it self.

Menu

Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes with Chives and Remoulade
Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Curried Succotash Chowder
Chocolate Whiskey Soufflé Tart

Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes with Chives and Remoulade
Makes 14
*adapted from NPR

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds salmon filets, skinned, pin bones removed, cut in chunks
1/4 pound smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs, divided

2 scallions, ends trimmed, minced

1 medium jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced

1/4 cup grated yellow onion with juices

3 tbs finely chopped cilantro

2 tbs Greek-style whole milk yogurt

1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp Tabasco, or to taste

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for pan frying

Lightly salted European-style butter, optional

Rye bread slices

Remoulade (recipe below)

Fresh chives, finely chopped

Lemon wedges

Directions

Combine salmon filets and smoked salmon in the food processor. Pulse to coarsely chop without over processing. Transfer salmon to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs, scallions, jalapeno, onion with juices, cilantro, yogurt, lemon juice, Tabasco and black pepper. Gently mix to thoroughly combine.

Pour remaining 1 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Scoop salmon with a soup spoon and carefully form into a plump 2-inch patty with your hands. Carefully roll salmon cake in Panko to coat. Place on platter. Repeat with remaining salmon, adding more Panko to bowl if necessary.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish cakes in one layer. Fry, turning once, until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer fish cakes to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain; keep warm. 

Repeat with remaining salmon. To assemble, lightly butter a slice of rye bread.

Place salmon cake on top. Spoon a generous teaspoon of remoulade on top of salmon cake. Garnish with snipped chives and a lemon wedge.

Homemade Remoulade
Makes 1 1/4 cup

Ingredients
1/3 cup mayonnaise

2/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2 tbs finely diced cornichons
1 tbs capers, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Serves 6

Ingredients
45 brussel sprouts
olive oil
salt and pepper

pine nuts

lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Directions

Cut off the bottoms of the brussel sprouts and halve lengthwise. 

Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, put in oven on baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 30 min. Add pine nuts for last 2 min, Squeeze lemon juice over brussel sprouts and serve.

Curried Succotash Chowder
Serves 8
*adapted from NPR

Ingredients
5 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped (2 cups)
4 medium cloves of garlic, minced
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 cups frozen corn, defrosted
1 1/2 tbs ground curry, or to taste
1 cup lima beans, defrosted
1 cup edamame beans, defrosted
4 cups milk
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped chives for garnish

Directions
Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to cover by 1 inch. Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium-high heat and boil until just tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain them in a colander set in the sink and set aside.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot placed over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, salt and herbs. Sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Stir in the corn and curry powder and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the cooked potatoes and stir gently to combine.

Transfer a small portion of the sautéed vegetables to a bowl and, using an immersion blender, puree until 

thick and smooth. 

Return the puree to the pot. Stir in lima beans, edamame and milk. Cook until the beans are tender and the chowder is heated through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with fresh ground black pepper and 

additional salt, if you like. Garnish the chowder with a sprinkling of chopped chives

Chocolate Whiskey Soufflé Tart
Serves 8
*adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
For crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp (scant) salt

For filling

10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup Irish whiskey

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 tsp instant coffee crystals

Pinch of salt

4 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

Garnish

Sweetened whipped cream 

raspberries

Directions
Make crust:
 Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend all ingredients in processor just until dough gathers together. Shape dough into log. Cut into 8 equal rounds. Press 1 round over bottom and up sides of each of eight 4 1/2 x 3/4-inch tartlet pans with removable bottom. Pierce crusts with fork. Bake crusts until pale golden, about 18 minutes. Cool in pans on rack.

Make filling:
 Set aside generous 1/3 cup chopped chocolate. Place remaining chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk in whiskey, vanilla, coffee and salt, then yolks. Beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold half of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in reserved 1/3 cup chopped chocolate, then remaining whites. Divide mixture among crusts. Freeze at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep frozen.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Push bottom of frozen tartlets up to release from pan sides. Arrange tartlets on pan bottoms on baking sheet. Bake until filling puffs and begins to crack, about 20 minutes. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream onto tarts and garnish with raspberries.

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