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Courtesy of Animators Palate Disney Cruise Line

Maple Glazed Salmon with Onion Mashed Potatoes

Serves 4

Maple Glaze

1/4 cup Brandy

                               1.   Pour brandy in a pan and flambe’ for 5 seconds.

1 1/4 cups Maple Syrup

                                2.  Add the syrup and heat.

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2  tablespoons water

                                3.  Whisk in the cornstarch and water mixture, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring.  Cool to room temperature.

Onion-Mashed Potatoes

2 medium onions roughly chopped

                        1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.

2 tablespoons olive oil

                     2.  Toss the chopped onions with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes, until soft.  Puree’ onions in a blender.

2 pounds red potatoes (I used white)

                         3.  Cover the potatoes nwith water in a medium saucepan and boil until tender when piereced with a fork.

2/3 cups milk, warmed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

                             4.  Put the drained warm potatoes in a mixing bowl.  Add milk and butter, mash with an old-fashioned  potato masher.  Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

Salmon

4 salmon filets, 7 ounces each

                                1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

 2 tablespoons olive oil

  Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

                                2.  Brush the salmon with olive oil and season with coarse salt.  In a preheated saute’ pan, sear both sides.

Diced red peppers for garnish (optional)

                                         3.   Place on a baking sheet  and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the maple glaze on each salmon filet.                                                                                                                Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until desired doness.

                                         4.  To serve, top the potatoes with salmon and drizzle with remaining maple glaze.

                                         5.  Top with diced red peppers and scallion, if desired.

What to drink:

Pinot Noir..the bright cherry flavors and silky texture match the richness of the salmon.

Pesto a fabulous sauce….

The ancient Romans ate a paste called moretum, which was made by crushing cheese, garlic and herbs together.  Basil, the main ingredient of modern pesto, likely originated in North Africa; however, it was first domesticated in India.  Basil took the firmest root in the regions of  Italy and France.  In French Provence, the dish evolved into the modern pistou, a combination of basil, parsley, crushed garlic, and grated cheese (optional). However, pine nuts are not included.  Pesto did not become popular in North America until the 1980s and 1990s.   Pesto is traditionally prepared in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle.

First, garlic and pine nuts are placed in the mortar and reduced to a cream,  then the washed and dried basil leaves are added with coarse salt and ground to a creamy consistency. Only then is a mix of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino added. To help incorporate the cheese, a little extra-virgin olive oil is added. In a tight jar (or simply in an air-tight plastic container), covered by a layer of extra-virgin olive oil, pesto can last in the refrigerator up to a week, and can also be frozen for later use.  Sorry but I am not doing it the “traditional way” as I love to use the blender for this.  Pesto is commonly used on pasta.  Because pesto is a generic term for anything that is made by pounding, there are various other pestos, some traditional, some modern. For this reason, the original (and most common) pesto is now called pesto alla genovese or pesto genovese (both forms are used in both English and Italian). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesto

Basil Pesto

4 garlic cloves

3/4 cup pine nuts (1/4 pound) I toast mine to give extra flavor

2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

7 cups packed Basil leaves

5 tablespoons olive oil (add more if needed)

In a blender or a food processor, add the garlic, pine nuts, cheeses, a large handful of basil, and 1 teaspoon pepper as well as salt to taste and process until chopped.  With motor running, add oil and blend until incorporated.

You will get so much for such a small amount of effort and a fraction of the price of store bought.

As you see, we labeled it “spicy” and that is because we bought some habanero olive oil from the Tampa Olive Oil Company and used a small portion of that with the regular olive oil.

Pesto keeps, its surface covered with plastic wrap, chilled, 1 week.  Pesto can be frozen in sealed plastic bags (press out any excess air) up to 3 months or as you see I freeze in jars with a thin layer of olive oil on top.  For pasta with pesto: Put 2/3 cup pesto in a large bowl. Cook 1 lb linguine or spaghetti until al dente, then whisk about 1/3 cup pasta-cooking water into pesto. Add drained pasta to pesto with salt and pepper to taste, then toss well. Serve with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

There are so many variations which makes pesto a very flexible sauce.  I have used walnuts instead of pine nuts, as well as, cilantro or spring onions in the place of the basil.

Disney has a recipe for “Green Papaya Salad” which used a Thai Pesto.

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 cups cilantro leaves

1/4 cup fresh mint

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

4 tablespoons light oil or fragrant nut oil (like macadamia nut oil)

3 tablespoons macadamia nuts, toasted

1.  Combine the first five ingredients in a food processor or blender to form a paste.

2.  Drizzle in oil to form a pesto consistency.

3.  Add nuts and pulse until chopped.

Grilled Shrimp and Seared Scallop Pasta

Well, it’s time for another Disney dining recipe review.  Like so many Disney pleasures, the appearance, the presentation, and the final product are soooo much more than the individual parts.   We have had those Disney adventures that we really enjoy, but when they are over, we say to ourselves…if they’d have just done this or if they could tweak that….it would make the experience just that much better, individual preferences for sure.  The Grilled Shrimp and Seared Scallop Linguine are all of the above.  The final presentation is gorgeous, stacked high noodles with a crown of green spinach, dusted with Parmesan, surrounded by some special gifts from the sea.  I’d call the recipe as written a quick and easy version, but it can definitely be turned into a gourmet dinner with some minor modifications.

Featured on the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder

Serves 4

8 ounces linguine

2 cups favorite spaghetti sauce

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons butter, divided

2 cups fresh spinach

coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined last tail segment on

12 large scallops

Cook the linguine according the package directions (I would recommend to have the pasta on the al dente side so it will soak up some of the sauce); drain and mix with spaghetti sauce.  Keep warm.

In a large skillet, saute’ garlic in 2 tablespoons butter until golden; add spinach (I doubled the amount of spinach because it really wilts down) and cook until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add the shrimp and scallops (my scallops were huge so I started with them), and cook about 3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the scallops are white, turning once.  (I know the shrimp are not grilled but this how the recipe reads)

Top the pasta with cooked spinach, and serve with shrimp and scallops arranged around the pasta.

We do have some suggestion to improve on the recipe…..the sauce, “fresh is best”.  Rather than “just” a can of store bought spaghetti sauce, ramp it up with fresh basil, oregano, or any other fresh Italian herb or spice.  More garlic- absolutely.  It never hurts to add more spinach (with maybe a touch of bacon), especially a good way for the little mer-kids to get their greens.  It’s also neat way to get kids to eat seafood…who can resist spaghetti.   Make sure all the ingredients come together at the same time, and serve immediately.  A little crushed red pepper and some tasty extra virgin olive oil over the top also help to turn good into Fantastic.

Yummy garlic bread and fresh garden salad as sides, and now we have a fabulous meal.

  Let your own Imagineering chef run wild with this one, it’s a perfect canvas for greatness.

For the wine lovers, same as last month- a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.  Enjoy!

As Lady, Tramp and Caleb can attest, this one is quick, easy, and sure to be a magical hit with the little folk and big folks, as well.

 Bon Appétit !