Stephens Fish Dumplings And Saffron Sauce Recipes

STEPHEN'S FISH DUMPLINGS AND SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a meat grinder fitted with a fine blade, grind fish into a medium bowl. Add garlic, 2 teaspoons minced shallot, chopped marjoram, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and 2 eggs. Mix well to combine. Add matzo and about 1/4 cup water alternately, a little at a time, until the mixture is soft, but not sticky.
• Dip your hands into cold water, and form the mixture into about twenty-four 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheet.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, the wine, saffron, sliced shallot, remaining 3 teaspoons salt, and bay leaf over high heat. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Quickly add dumplings, one at a time, to the cooking liquid. Cook until dumplings rise to the surface, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove dumplings from cooking liquid, and set aside. Strain cooking liquid, and reserve.
• Strain remaining 3 eggs through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Whisk in lemon juice, and season with salt. Transfer to a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, being careful not to let the egg mixture curdle. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup cooking liquid from the dumplings. Cook until thick, continuing to stir, 7 to 8 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup cooking liquid and olive oil, stirring to combine. Add dumplings to sauce to coat. Serve fish dumplings with sauce and a sprig of marjoram.

ALMOND-CRUSTED FISH WITH SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Season the fish and spread a little butter over the flesh side of each. Put in a shallow, buttered, ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the flaked almonds, lightly pressing them on. Bake for 12-15 mins until the flesh flakes easily.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Gently fry the shallot with a small knob of butter in a small pan. Add the stock and saffron, bring to the boil, then boil until reduced by about two-thirds. Stir in the crème fraîche and bubble for a minute or so until slightly thickened. Pour a little sauce around each portion of fish. Lovely served with tiny, buttered new potatoes and green beans, or a fresh green salad.

FISH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Run the fish through a meat grinder twice; it should be very fine and smooth. (You can use a food processor, although it can be more difficult to get a smooth consistency that way.)
• In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the cornstarch, salt, pepper, and fish and mix well. Gently fold the cream into the fish mixture, trying not to deflate cream.
• With a spoon, form the dumpling mixture into small balls.