Salmon, Spinach and Ricotta en croute

The first time I enjoyed this delicious recipe was at the house of a friend in Kilflynn, Ireland. It's not only simple and delicious, the presentation is beautiful.

1 bag of baby spinach
3 1/2 oz. ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
6 sheets filo pastry
1 lb. 10 oz piece of skinned salmon fillet
low fat cooking spray
2 Tbsp. parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wilt the spinach in a pan for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in the ricotta, garlic, salt and pepper. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and place one sheet of filo (you may need to overlap more than one to accommodate size of salmon) on the parchment. Mist with spray and repeat with 2 more layers of filo. Lay the salmon on top and spread the spinach mixture over the salmon. Season. Top with remaining 3 layers of filo misting with spray between layers. Trim around the edges with a sharp knife and seal the edges. Place in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the salmon is just cooked. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into 2 inch slices and serve with mashed carrots, turnips and boiled potatoes.


 336 calories per serving unless you have banoffee pie for dessert.

An Irish Dessert

Banoffee pie is the most incredible dessert I've ever tasted and I'm the kind of person who leaves plenty of room for dessert. A delicious layer of thick caramel sits on biscuit base topped with bananas and cream.  If you can't find digestive biscuits (I buy mine at Stater Brothers Grocery Store in the International aisle) use graham crackers. It won't detract from the flavor at all. This recipe serves 8-10 or, if you truly don't care about ever seeing an Irish size 10 again, slice it into 6 decadent servings and enjoy. I truly believe you can't really trust a person who never orders dessert.

Base

3 1/2 oz of butter
9 oz of digestive biscuits (These are really cookies and you'll need 3/4 of the package)

Caramel

2 cans of sweetened condensed milk

Topping

4 small bananas or 3 large
cocoa powder for dusting
8 oz of heavy cream, whipped.

Begin with the base. In a large saucepan, melt 3 1/2 oz. of butter and stir in the crushed biscuits. Press into the base and partly up the sides of a 9 - 10 inch pie pan. Cool in the refrigerator while preparing the caramel.

(This is the unbelievable part.) Fill a Dutch oven or a large pan with enough water to cover the cans of sweetened condensed milk. Place the cans, unopened (you might want to peel off the paper but it eventually comes off anyway so I leave it alone) into the water and bring to a boil. (I know you shouldn't really boil sealed cans, but do it anyway.) Lower heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, adding water to keep the level even. Cool enough to handle the cans. Open and remove the caramel. It will be thick, but spreadable, and golden brown. Cool for 1 1/2 hours. Slice the bananas and arrange over the caramel. Top with whipped cream, remaining bananas and cocoa powder. Truly delicious