Napoleon of Salmon and Corn Blinis with Vanilla Beurre Blanc
Blinis are small, elegant Russian pancakes traditionally served with herring, caviar or smoked salmon. I like to stack them and layer salmon and spinach in between. Be sure to chop, measure and prep all ingredients ahead of time, then assemble the dish just before serving.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients for Corn Blinis
1 cup yellow corn kernels cut fresh from the cob
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup buckwheat or whole wheat flour
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeño, small dice
2 tablespoon shallot, finely diced
Cooking spray
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Spinach
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, rinsed, dried, stems removed
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Vanilla Beurre Blanc
2 shallots, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
6 tablespoons white wine
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter
Pure vanilla extract to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Salmon
16 ounce salmon filet, cut into 8 pieces of 2 ounces each
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
Sprigs of fresh dill
Methode
Prepare the blinis: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the corn in a single layer on a baking pan, drizzle the olive oil over the corn, and then season with salt and pepper. Toast the corn in the oven until it turns light brown, about 10 minutes.
Make the blini batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and milk. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with the buckwheat or whole wheat flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until thoroughly incorporated and free of lumps. Using a rubber spatula, fold the toasted corn, diced jalapeño, and diced shallot into the batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Cook the blinis: : Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, then thoroughly coat the bottom of the pan with cooking spray. For each blini, spoon 2 tablespoons of batter onto the pan, and cook until the first side is golden brown, dry, and slightly bubbly around the edges (about 1 1/2 minutes), then flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the finished blinis to a rack or cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Recoat the sauté pan with cooking spray before cooking the next batch. Set the finished blinis aside.
Prepare the spinach: Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and chopped garlic. Toss the garlic in the oil until lightly browned, about 1 minute, then add the spinach all at once. Season the spinach with salt and black pepper. Sauté the spinach for about 1 minute or until the spinach is completely wilted. Remove the spinach from the heat and set aside.
Prepare the vanilla beurre blanc: In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the shallots, bay leaf, thyme, white wine and vinegar. Reduce the mixture until dry. Add the heavy cream, then carefully whisk in the butter, being careful not to let the mixture boil. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and a little vanilla. Strain the sauce and keep it warm.
Prepare the salmon: Brush the slices of salmon with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. In nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, sear the salmon for about 15 seconds on both sides. Do not overcook: leave the center a little pink, the fish will finish cooking on its own as it rests.
Build the napoleons: Warm up four plates in the oven. Place one blini in the center of each plate, then top the blinis with a little bit of the cooked spinach. Add one slice of salmon and one teaspoon of the sauce. Top the sauce with another blini, then add the spinach, salmon, and sauce. Garnish with sprigs of fresh dill and serve immediately.
"Dinner is Served. Bon Appetit!" — Chef Patrice Olivon
Serve Napoleon of Salmon and Corn Blinis with Vanilla Beurre Blanc after an appetizer of Puff Pastry Shell filled with Wild Mushroom Ragoût. For an autumn dessert, try Apple Crêpes with Bourbon Caramel Sauce.
Nutritional Information:Per Serving: 216 Calories; 18g Fat (79.5% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 60mg Cholesterol; 980mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Fat.
From: Dinner is Served, a public television series
© 2009 Fresh TV Creative, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
For more information about Chef Patrice and Dinner is Served,
visit www.chefpatrice.tv