Cooking With the Catch of the Day (Part 1)
This article was written by Kristel Matousek and was featured in our June issue of Home By Design magazine. Recipe and photographs by Kristel Matousek from www.photoricalfood.com. To visit the original Home By Design article, click here.
SEAFOOD (PART 1)
POACHED SHRIMP COCKTAIL
Serves 4
- 1 pound uncooked jumbo shrimp, shell and tail on, deveined
- 1 quart court bouillon (recipe to follow)
- ⅔ cup cocktail sauce (recipe to follow)
Court Bouillon
- 1 quart water
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 ribs celery
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch peppercorns, crushed
- Pinch dried thyme
- 4 parsley stems
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cocktail Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon Crystal hot sauce
- Pinch black pepper
In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the court bouillon. Bring to a boil. Cover with a lid, and reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain off any solids and return liquid to saucepan. Check and maintain temperature between 125 to 135 degrees F for poaching.
Lower shrimp into prepared court bouillon and poach shrimp until just cooked, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove shrimp from liquid and let cool to the touch, then remove peel. Chill shrimp for service.
In a blender or glass measuring cup, combine all ingredients for the cocktail sauce. Using an immersion or stand blender, puree all the ingredients. Taste and season with additional pepper or hot sauce to your desired tastes.
| SAVE IT FOR LATER. Retain the prepared court bouillon for future seafood poaching needs or as stock for soups. Will hold for 5 days under refrigeration. |
LOX CROSTINI
Makes 24
- 1 rustic French baguette
- Olive oil, as needed
- ½ cup (4 ounces) whipped caper cream cheese (recipe to follow)
- 1 pound salt-cured salmon, thin sliced (recipe to follow)
- Black sesame seeds and fresh dill, for garnish
Salt-Cured Salmon
- 1 pound salmon fillet, skin on
- 2 ounces sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper, ground
- 0.5 ounce fresh dill, rough chopped
- 1 ounce vodka (optional)
Whipped Caper Cream Cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced green onions
- 2 teaspoons minced nonpareil capers
- ¼ cup whole milk
Check the salmon for any bones and remove if needed.
Mix salt and white pepper together in a bowl, then sprinkle half the mixture onto a plastic wrap–lined plate or baking dish. Place salmon skin-side down on a plate, in the mixture. Cover the flesh of the salmon with remaining salt mixture and sprinkle with dill and vodka.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove from refrigerator after 24 hours. Flip filet and refrigerate for an additional 24 hours.
After a combined total of 48 hours of refrigeration, remove salmon from refrigerator, drain accumulated liquid, then rinse curing mixture off the fish. Pat dry with a paper towel. Keep chilled for service.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Whip together the cream cheese with minced green onions and capers. Slowly add milk until fully incorporated to produce a creamy, non-lumpy final product.
Slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices, brush with olive oil, and place on a baking sheet. Toast in preheated oven until slightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool fully before spreading prepared cream cheese mixture over the surface of the toasted baguette slice.
Cut thin slices from flesh-surface of cured salmon. Place a slice of lox on top of the cream cheese–layered crostini. Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh dill, and serve.