Fresh Fava Beans And Wild Morel Ragout With Lake Superior Whitefish Food

SEARED LAKE SUPERIOR WHITEFISH WITH A MOUSSELINE MUSTARD SAUCE OVER A BED OF SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS SERVED WITH SAFFRON POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat a deep fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Saute mushrooms in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Keep warm in pan.
• Saute spinach in pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Keep warm in pan.
• Peel potatoes. Cut off sides of potatoes. Add potatoes to a pot of boiling water with saffron, for color and taste. Boil until tender. Drain.
• Season the fish with white pepper and salt on both sides. Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat. Brush fish on both sides with olive oil. Add fish to skillet and sear on both sides, 3 minutes each side.
• Using only the white part of the leek, halve lengthwise. Take each half and julienne thinly. Wash and dry. Deep fry in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
• Put spinach in center of plate. Put mushrooms on spinach. Put whitefish on top of mushrooms. Cover fish with Mousseline Mustard Sauce. Put 2 potatoes on side of plate. Put a small heap of leeks on top of fish.
• Combine in a saucepan, shallots, white wine, vinegar, salt and pepper. Reduce to 10 percent of its original volume. When reduced, add heavy cream. Slowly whisk in soft butter, spoon by spoon. Fold in mustard. Adjust seasoning, to taste.

OVEN ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES WITH BASIL AND WHITEFISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, combine tomatoes, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and 1/2 the basil. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, gently stir. Nestle fish in pan with tomatoes, place back in oven and continue roasting 7 to 10 minutes more or until fish is no longer translucent and tomatoes are just beginning to burst. Remove from oven. Divide fish among serving plates. Add remaining basil to tomatoes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spoon over fish in equal portions.
• Yield: 4 servings
• [Morph]: Instead of topping the tomatoes with fish, roast them until they burst, about 20 minutes. Toss with your favorite pasta shape.

SPRING VEGETABLE RAGOûT

Steps:

• Chop white and pale-green parts of leeks and wash well in a bowl of cold water. Lift leeks from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander to drain. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and remove any discolored areas of bulb. Halve bulb lengthwise and cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, discarding cores. Halve or quarter larger morels lengthwise, leaving smaller ones whole.
• Cook turnips in a 6-quart heavy pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer turnips with slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking. (Keep water boiling.) Boil carrots until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes, and transfer with slotted spoon to ice water. Boil fava beans until crisp-tender, about 2‚ minutes, and transfer with slotted spoon to ice water. Gently boil potatoes until almost tender, about 15 minutes, and drain in colander. Rinse under cold running water. Drain blanched vegetables and gently peel outer skins from fava beans. Halve potatoes.
• Cook shallots, leeks, and salt and pepper to taste in 3 tablespoons butter in pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add broth, zest, and 1/4 cup herbs and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids and reserve broth.
• Cook morels in remaining 3 tablespoons butter in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer until reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add fennel, asparagus, bell peppers, and reserved broth, then simmer, covered, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Gently stir in blanched vegetables and simmer until all vegetables are just tender, about 4 minutes.
• Serve ragout sprinkled with remaining 1/4 cup herbs.