ironpeddler
Ye Old Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2008
- Messages
- 6,655
This is a dish I discovered quite some time ago (Julia Child...that's how long ago!) and have refined it a bit to cut down on the prep time while yielding similar results. The biggest obstacle was always the pastry dough, while not complex in ingredients, it's takes time to make prior to assembling the dish.
When I found the Pepperidge Farms Sheet Pastry in the frozen section years ago, that was the missing link in saving me time so I could make this during the week after work. My kids love this dish and all it's variations I have come up with based on what is in the fridge at the time...I always keep a few boxes of the pastry dough as a basic item in my freezer...all I buy fresh is the fish and maybe the greens.
First off you take the pastry dough out of the freezer and leave it at room temp for about 20 minute before you slowly open the tri-folded pieces as it thaws....be patient as not to crack the folds. Once completely thawed (40 minutes or so) put it on a lightly floured cutting board and gently roll it out with a rolling pin. I use one sheet (2 to a box) per serving and there is quite a bit of waste as I don't have time to mess around...I rather too much dough than not enough.
As you can see, I have the veggie (chopped spinach quickly sauted in butter & garlic) cooled & ready, the egg wash, a pumpkin beer, the block cheese behind the dough box, and the fish is off to the side....I prepared this one with some nice fresh cod fillets.
I build this like the bacon wrapped chicken breasts...backwards....it's from making this dish that I started using that technique.
Now I smear a little prepared horseradish in the center of the pastry dough....
On goes the cheese, I slice four 1/4" thick pieces from a 12oz size block. This is white cheddar
On goes the spinach, a few twists of salt & pepper, curry seasoning, granulated garlic, and a little dried rosemary that I hydrate in white wine for about a half an hour...
...and now the cod fillet that I lightly covered both sides with salt & pepper. I make this with salmon or haddock too, depends what looks good at our local fish market. I also substitute sauted broccoli rabe as well...just blanch it for 2 minutes in chicken stock before lightly sauteing it in the butter, olive oil and garlic...keep it crunchy!
I now fold up the four sides (trim off the excess dough) and seal the seams closed with egg wash, place them on a foil lined cookie sheet and egg wash the entire pastry. Those little things around the fish pastries are small pieces of cod wrapped in the pastry dough trimmings I spoke about earlier....they make great little whore's ovaries. I don't slit the tops as the cheese tends to melt out from the top...if you like the look, lightly slash the tops without going all the way through the dough.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes...depends on your oven. When they're nicely browned, take them out regardless of the time.
Now to plate them up with a side of couscous and some diced fresh, vine ripened tomatoes with salt, pepper, and sprinkled with grated pecorino romano cheese...
Just give it a cut and enjoy. The horseradish taste is very subtle as it blends with the melted white cheddar into the spinach...it's almost like a sauce within the puff pastry. The fish is light and firm as it combines with the flaky pastry dough.
From start to finish, it takes about an hour and change to make....40 minutes to prepare the dish and 30 minutes or so to bake it off. While the dough thaws, I cut the cheese and saute the spinach so that it can cool a bit as not to prematurely melt the cheese...while also having plenty of time to drink 2 to 3 beers...it's all in the timing. Goes great with a pinot grigio or any light sparkling white wine.
Try it, you may just like it...and it beats the hell out of a fish fillet sandwich from McDonalds after a hard day at work!
When I found the Pepperidge Farms Sheet Pastry in the frozen section years ago, that was the missing link in saving me time so I could make this during the week after work. My kids love this dish and all it's variations I have come up with based on what is in the fridge at the time...I always keep a few boxes of the pastry dough as a basic item in my freezer...all I buy fresh is the fish and maybe the greens.
First off you take the pastry dough out of the freezer and leave it at room temp for about 20 minute before you slowly open the tri-folded pieces as it thaws....be patient as not to crack the folds. Once completely thawed (40 minutes or so) put it on a lightly floured cutting board and gently roll it out with a rolling pin. I use one sheet (2 to a box) per serving and there is quite a bit of waste as I don't have time to mess around...I rather too much dough than not enough.
As you can see, I have the veggie (chopped spinach quickly sauted in butter & garlic) cooled & ready, the egg wash, a pumpkin beer, the block cheese behind the dough box, and the fish is off to the side....I prepared this one with some nice fresh cod fillets.
I build this like the bacon wrapped chicken breasts...backwards....it's from making this dish that I started using that technique.
Now I smear a little prepared horseradish in the center of the pastry dough....
On goes the cheese, I slice four 1/4" thick pieces from a 12oz size block. This is white cheddar
On goes the spinach, a few twists of salt & pepper, curry seasoning, granulated garlic, and a little dried rosemary that I hydrate in white wine for about a half an hour...
...and now the cod fillet that I lightly covered both sides with salt & pepper. I make this with salmon or haddock too, depends what looks good at our local fish market. I also substitute sauted broccoli rabe as well...just blanch it for 2 minutes in chicken stock before lightly sauteing it in the butter, olive oil and garlic...keep it crunchy!
I now fold up the four sides (trim off the excess dough) and seal the seams closed with egg wash, place them on a foil lined cookie sheet and egg wash the entire pastry. Those little things around the fish pastries are small pieces of cod wrapped in the pastry dough trimmings I spoke about earlier....they make great little whore's ovaries. I don't slit the tops as the cheese tends to melt out from the top...if you like the look, lightly slash the tops without going all the way through the dough.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes...depends on your oven. When they're nicely browned, take them out regardless of the time.
Now to plate them up with a side of couscous and some diced fresh, vine ripened tomatoes with salt, pepper, and sprinkled with grated pecorino romano cheese...
Just give it a cut and enjoy. The horseradish taste is very subtle as it blends with the melted white cheddar into the spinach...it's almost like a sauce within the puff pastry. The fish is light and firm as it combines with the flaky pastry dough.
From start to finish, it takes about an hour and change to make....40 minutes to prepare the dish and 30 minutes or so to bake it off. While the dough thaws, I cut the cheese and saute the spinach so that it can cool a bit as not to prematurely melt the cheese...while also having plenty of time to drink 2 to 3 beers...it's all in the timing. Goes great with a pinot grigio or any light sparkling white wine.
Try it, you may just like it...and it beats the hell out of a fish fillet sandwich from McDonalds after a hard day at work!
