Spinach And Smoked Salmon Cocktail Knishes Food

CARAMELIZED ONION AND POTATO KNISHES

Steps:

• For the pastry: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the schmaltz, vinegar and 1/2 cup water and stir into a shaggy ball with a spoon or large rubber spatula. (It's OK if some of the flour remains dry at the bottom of the bowl; the dough will come together during kneading.) Attach the dough hook to the mixer and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Dump out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it into a uniform ball, about 30 seconds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes while making the filling. (The dough can be made and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead.)
• For the filling: Heat the schmaltz over medium-high heat in a medium heavy-bottom pot. Add the onions and 2 teaspoons salt and stir until coated. Cover and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent and begin to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally at first and then more frequently as the onions become sticky, soft and dark golden brown, about 30 minutes. Add the thyme and garlic and cook, stirring and scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mixture is very fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Cover the potatoes with cold water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the potatoes until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the potatoes and then return them to the pot. Cook the drained potatoes over low heat, shaking the pot to prevent sticking, until the potatoes are dry, about 1 minute.
• Combine the potatoes, caramelized onion mixture, cream cheese, sour cream, dill and chives in a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the mixture together until everything is evenly combined. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Set aside to cool to room temperature. (The filling can be made and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day ahead.)
• To form the knishes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl and set aside.
• Divide the dough in half. Use your hands to roll 1 of the dough halves into a 6-inch-long log on a lightly floured surface, then use a rolling pin to roll the log out into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. The dough will be very thin. Square off the sides, if necessary to prevent the end pieces from being too thick and uneven.
• Position the dough so that the long edges are parallel with the edge of the counter. Shape half of the filling into a 2-by-16-inch log. Transfer the filling on top of the dough, 1 inch in from the bottom edge. Gently stretch the dough up and around the filling. (It's ok if the dough tears a little as at this stage as it will be hidden as the dough is rolled up.) Then continue rolling up the filling in the dough into a long log. Score the log in 2-inch intervals and then cut the log into 8 segments.
• Working with one segment at a time, turn the piece so one of the cut side is up and pinch and smooth the top until sealed. Turn over so the other cut side is facing up, and pinch and smooth that side until sealed as well. Place the formed knish, with a sealed side down, on one of the prepared baking sheets and then gently press down to flatten it slightly. Repeat the process with the remaining segments, pastry and filling until all the knishes have been formed (see Cook's Note).
• Arrange the knishes about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Lightly brush the tops and sides with the reserved egg wash. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the knishes are golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.
• The knishes can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature with sour cream.

POTATO-KASHA KNISHES

Steps:

• Start with our step-by-step knish how-to.
• Make the dough: Put the flour in a food processor, then pulse as you pour the olive oil through the feed tube. Scrape down the sides of the processor and pulse again.
• Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in the seltzer and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup. Pulse as you pour the liquid through the feed tube, 20 to 30 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Flatten into an even disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Make the filling: Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and season with salt. Simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and coarsely mash in a large bowl.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook about 5 minutes; uncover and cook, stirring, until browned, 15 to 20 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the kasha in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until toasted, about 4 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly, then add to the bowl with the potatoes. Add the onions and mash.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making the knishes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F; lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.
• Make the knishes; place 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes; brush with olive oil and continue baking until golden, 25 to 35 more minutes. Serve with mustard.

GRILLED SALMON ON SPINACH

Steps:

• Wash the spinach and remove tough stems.
• Place in pot with garlic and tarragon and cover. Cook over medium heat until spinach is wilted. Drain, arrange and keep warm in a serving dish large enough to hold salmon.
• Grill salmon on both sides, following the 10-minute rule of cooking 10 minutes to the inch of salmon measured at its thickest point. Transfer the salmon to the spinach bed and serve.

CREAMY GARLIC, LEMON & SPINACH SALMON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pierce the sweet potatoes a few times each and microwave on high for 5 mins until soft (alternatively, bake for 35-40 mins). Keep warm until ready to serve.
• Heat half the oil in a frying pan and lightly brown the salmon on both sides - don't worry about it being cooked through at this point. Transfer the salmon to a plate, wipe out the pan and heat the remaining oil. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds, without letting it brown, then add the spinach, lemon zest and juice and some seasoning. Stir in the mascarpone and 2 tbsp of the milk and cook until the spinach has wilted.
• Tip the spinach mix into an ovenproof dish and top with the lemon slices and salmon fillets. Bake for 5-8 mins until the salmon is cooked through.
• Meanwhile, scoop the sweet potato flesh from the skins and mash with the remaining milk and some seasoning. Serve the sweet potato mash alongside the salmon and creamy spinach.

SMOKED SALMON & SPINACH GRATIN

Steps:

• Put the spinach in a really big saucepan (or two saucepans) and add a few tablespoons of water. Cover, set over a medium heat and cook for about 5-8 mins, turning the spinach over every so often, until wilted. Tip it into a colander to drain and allow it to cool (spread it out on a plate to cool it quicker). Take big handfuls of it in your fists and squeeze out the excess water. It's really important that you do this, otherwise the water will leach out and make the cream watery and green.
• Chop the spinach. Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently toss the spinach in it. Season with pepper and a tiny bit of salt (there's so much salt in the salmon). Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Lay the spinach in the bottom of a gratin dish (about 30cm x 20cm), then arrange the salmon fillets on top.
• Heat the double cream in a small pan, then pour it all over the salmon and spinach. Bake for 35 mins, or until the top is golden and the cream is bubbling.