Stephens Fish Dumplings And Saffron Sauce Recipes

STEPHEN'S FISH DUMPLINGS AND SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a meat grinder fitted with a fine blade, grind fish into a medium bowl. Add garlic, 2 teaspoons minced shallot, chopped marjoram, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 eggs. Mix well to combine. Add matzo and about 1/4 cup water alternately, a little at a time, until the mixture is soft, but not sticky.
• Dip your hands into cold water, and form the mixture into about twenty-four 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheet.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, the wine, saffron, sliced shallot, remaining 3 teaspoons salt, and bay leaf over high heat. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Quickly add dumplings, one at a time, to the cooking liquid. Cook until dumplings rise to the surface, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove dumplings from cooking liquid, and set aside. Strain cooking liquid, and reserve.
• Strain remaining 3 eggs through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice, and season with salt. Transfer to a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, being careful not to let the egg mixture curdle. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup cooking liquid from the dumplings. Cook until thick, continuing to stir, 7 to 8 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid and olive oil, stirring to combine. Add dumplings to sauce to coat. Serve fish dumplings with sauce and a sprig of marjoram.

SAFFRON FISH WITH RED PEPPERS AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Pour 2 cups of boiling water into a bowl and sprinkle with the saffron strands. Use a spoon to press the saffron strands against the side of the bowl to release the flavor. Cover the bowl with a plate and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over low. Add the bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro stems, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is transparent.
• Nestle the fish into the vegetables, sprinkle with the paprika, red-pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the prepared saffron water over everything. (You can do all of this in advance 1 day in advance, and refrigerate until ready to finish.)
• When ready to cook, add the olives and preserved lemon (if using - but if using fresh lemon, that will come in Step 5). Bring the mixture to a boil over high, reduce to low, cover the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, basting the fish every 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro leaves during the last few minutes of cooking.
• Taste for seasoning and serve, setting the fish on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, if not using the preserved lemon. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SAFFRON SAUCE FOR FISH - SPAIN

Steps:

• Dissolve the saffron in heated fish stock that uses white wine and a little vinegar.
• Make a roux with hlaf the butter (or 1/4 cup) and the flour. Moisten with the stock, adding stock until the consistency is just as thick as whipping cream.
• Soften the peppers with the garlic in the remaining butter over low heat. When they are soft, add this to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Pour in the cream, Madeira and lemon juice.
• Add juices from the fish you are cooking to use this sauce with, for maximum flavor and so as not to be wasteful!

SEA BASS IN SAFFRON SAUCE (FROM JAVIER OTADUY'S RECIPE)

Steps:

• Melt 1 stick of butter with the wine and broth or clam juice in saucepan. Add the fillets and poach gently, about 10 minutes. Remove to platter and keep warm.
• Place mayonnaise in another pan together with remaining butter and 1 cup of the liquid used to poach the fish. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce becomes smooth. Do not allow to boil. Add saffron and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve the fish on a warmed dish covered with the sauce and accompanied by a julienne of vegetables.

FISH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Run the fish through a meat grinder twice; it should be very fine and smooth. (You can use a food processor, although it can be more difficult to get a smooth consistency that way.)
• In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the cornstarch, salt, pepper, and fish and mix well. Gently fold the cream into the fish mixture, trying not to deflate cream.
• With a spoon, form the dumpling mixture into small balls.