Royal Foodie Joust Entry: Braised Fennel and Salmon with Cream Sauce

The ingredients for this month are: fennel, parsley and dairy. This is what I decided to do with those.

Braised Fennel and Salmon with Cream Sauce

2 salmon steaks or fillet cuts
1 bulb fresh fennel with top
3 cups chicken or seafood stock
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 bunch parsley stems
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
chopped fresh parsley and fennel top

1. Combine stock, parsley stems, fennel seed and several lengths of fennel top (the frilly stuff) and simmer for 15 minutes.Strain stock and put 1 cup back into pan.

2.Slice fennel bulb in half vertically and remove hard center. Slice thinly across the leaves and add to stock. Simmer until tender - about 8-10 minutes.

3. Remove fennel from stock and keep warm. Strain stock and add reserved stock.

4. Add salmon and simmer until salmon flakes easily with a fork - about 10 minutes. Keep warm.

5. Strain stock one last time and put back into pan. Simmer until reduced by half.

6. Add cream and continue reducing until thickened. Add butter and whisk to combine.

7. Serve with salmon over fennel and topped with cream. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and fennel top.

Sunday Dinner - Mother's Day

This isn't dinner, but it's what will be on my table today. I made two loverly Salmon and Asparagus Quiche that will be served with a loaf of round French bread, tapenade (mais, oui!), goat's cheese, artichoke hearts and my favorite lemonade, followed by Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries, sliced cantaloupe and grapes. If I'm feeling generous, I'll share it with my family .

Salmon and Asparagus Quiche
Makes two 9" deep dish quiche

6 large eggs
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk
2 cloves garlic-minced
2 T fresh snipped dill
2 c asparagus cuts-cooked and drained
4 oz smoked salmon-flaked or 1 c fresh cooked-flaked
2 c grated Swiss or other cheese
two 9" deep dish pie shells

Bake pie shells until lightly browned in a 400 degree F oven. Turn heat down to 350.
Blend eggs, cream, milk, garlic, and dill together until well combined (I used the blender for 2 minutes). Divide the salmon, asparagus and cheese between the shells. Pour the egg mixture over all. Bake until puffy and lightly browned and eggs are set, about 35-40 minutes.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
Is The Hand That Rules The World

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace

Happy Mother's Day to all my mommy friends!

Salmon Napoleons

I got around to making the Napoleons I mentioned in the Ready, Set, Cook! recipes this week. There is a little difference in these; there was NO WAY I was going to pay $6.50 for 4 oz of smoked salmon (that's $26 a pound!). Not this week at least.

So, using canned (I know-wet noodle lashing coming up) I went ahead and made them. They turned out well and tasted great. I would still recommend using smoked salmon if you can afford it; the flavor is just better against the subdued flavor of the cream cheese.

I didn't write out a full recipe, but this is what I did;

Using one sheet of puff pastry, separate into thirds on folds. Cut each third into three squares. Bake as directed on package. Separate into halves when they are done and cool completely.

Cream 4 oz neufchatel cheese with a mixer. Turn speed up to high and add 1/2 cup of heavy cream in a thin stream until fluffy. Fold in 1 T each fresh dill and sliced green onion. Fold in 1 clove minced garlic.

Spread a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture on the bottom half of each puff pastry square. Top with salmon-smoked or otherwise, enough to cover the cream cheese. Top with the remaining pastry squares. Serve at room temp for best flavor.

The one in the photo was the first one-I was assembling it in the classic Napoleon style. Three layers of pastry was too much, though so the rest were done with a single top and bottom.