Fish And Vegetable Bstillas Recipes

MOROCCAN SEAFOOD BASTILLA RECIPE

Steps:

• If starting with raw shrimp in the shell, allow time for cleaning it. Remove the shell, head, tail, and legs from the shrimp. Deveining the shrimp is optional but I always do it. Wash the cleaned shrimp and drain thoroughly. The cleaned shrimp can be covered and refrigerated for up to a day until needed.
• In a small saucepan or pot, combine the grated tomato, garlic, parsley, oil and salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low to medium heat until a thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the hot sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add the shrimp. Season the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and saute for 1 or 2 minutes, just until the shrimp is white and cooked through. Drain and reserve the liquids and set the shrimp aside.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and add the swordfish steak. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook, turning several times, until the fish is cooked and flakes easily. Drain and reserve the liquids. Break the fish off the bone into bite-size pieces, discarding any skin, and set aside.
• In a skillet with a lid, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the calamari and season with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cover and braise the calamari in the butter and its own juices for 30 minutes or longer, until the calamari is very tender. Add a tiny bit of water during cooking only if the liquids evaporate before the squid is cooked.When the calamari is cooked, drain and reserve the liquids and set the calamari aside.
• Soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl of cold water for 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop the mushrooms.
• At the same time, soak the Chinese vermicelli in a large bowl of cold water for about 15 to 20 minutes, until tender enough to cut but not fully plumped. Drain and chop into 2" to 3" strands.
• Transfer the chopped rice vermicelli to the pot with the tomato sauce. Add the reserved liquids from cooking the fish and seafood and stir to combine. (I find tongs the easiest to use for this.)
• Simmer gently over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the vermicelli is tender and most of the liquids have been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
• Transfer the Chinese vermicelli to a very large bowl. Add the shrimp, calamari, fish and chopped mushrooms. Stir gently to combine.
• Taste for seasoning. The filling should be quite flavorful and zesty, a bit salty and spicy to the tongue. Adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce and/or hot sauce as desired. Note that some versions of seafood bastilla have a lot of heat due to hearty additions of hot sauce. Use your own palate as your guide.
• Working on parchment paper or aluminum foil allows for easy transfer of the bastilla once it's assembled. Overlap sheets of parchment paper or foil to create a large work surface of about 17"x 17".
• Brush the paper or foil with melted butter and then a little vegetable oil. Overlap sheets of warqa pastry, shiny side down, to fully cover this area. Allow the pastry sheets to drape well beyond the edge of your work area.
• Brush the pastry leaves with melted butter and add a single 12" round layer of warqa, shiny side down, to the center. Brush it with melted butter. This center circle serves as your guide and base for the bastilla.
• Place the seafood filling on the circular base, packing and shaping the filling to fit the 12" round. Drizzle melted butter over the filling then top with the grated cheese (if using).
• Gather the excess pastry up and around the filling, enclosing as much of it as you can. Try to maintain a nice circular shape with smooth sides. Trim excess folds of dough that create unwanted bulk. Brush the folded pastry with butter.
• Fully enclose the filling by arranging several more overlapping pastry leaves, shiny side up, over the top of the pie . Allow the edges of the pastry sheets to drape over the sides then tuck them carefully under the pie to finish shaping the bastilla.
• Brush the top and side of the bastilla generously with melted butter then with the egg yolk. (I use my hands for this step.)
• The bastilla is now ready for baking. Proceed to the next step, or wrap the bastilla in plastic (along with the parchment paper or foil base) and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or freeze for up to 2 or 3 months.
• Preheat your oven to 350° F (180° C).
• Place the bastilla (still on its parchment paper or foil base) on a large baking sheet or pan. A flat sheet allows for easiest transfer; you can line it with foil and crimp up the edges to catch any drippings.)
• Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and crispy; about 35 to 45 minutes. Allow additional time if placing a frozen bastilla directly in the oven.
• Remove from the oven and if garnishing with cheese, sprinkle it over the hot bastilla. If your cheese doesn't have a low melting point, return the bastilla to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
• Carefully transfer the bastilla to a large serving platter. Garnish as desired with shrimp, lemon slices and parsley. Serve immediately.

SKILLET FISH AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, combine broth, carrots, celery and parsley flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 3 minutes.
• Uncover skillet; return to a boil. Stir in rice. Top with orange roughy fillets; sprinkle with garlic-pepper blend. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and center of fish flakes easily with fork. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs if desired.

FISH AND VEGETABLE B'STILLAS

Steps:

• Add enough water to large deep skillet to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Add unpeeled garlic cloves and bring water to simmer. Sprinkle fish with salt; add to skillet. Poach fish gently until just opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Transfer fish to plate; cool. Flake fish coarsely; discard skin. Peel and mince cooked garlic.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add preserved lemon peel, tomato paste, paprika, ginger, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and minced garlic. Sauté 5 minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat; mix in cilantro, parsley, harissa, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Cool mixture. Gently stir in flaked fish.
• Cook rice noodles in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water to chill quickly. Cut noodles into 1-inch pieces. Stir noodles into fish mixture and season filling to taste with salt.
• Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 8-inch plate on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet over plate, centering plate underneath. Fold another phyllo sheet in half, brush with butter, then fold in half again and place in center of phyllo over plate. Mound 1 cup fish filling on folded phyllo; shape filling into 5-inch-diameter round. Fold 1 corner of phyllo sheet over filling. Continue to lift and fold edges of phyllo sheet over filling at 6-inch intervals, brushing each fold with melted butter and covering filling completely. Turn b'stilla onto parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Brush all over with more butter.
• Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling, making 6 b'stillas total. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake b'stillas until heated and pastry is golden brown, reversing sheets after 12 minutes, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to platter.