Community Corner

Westfield Chefs Share Holiday Dinner Recipes

Dazzle guests with a new dish this year.

Chefs from Westfield's Chez Catherine and San Marzano Pasta Bar have shared festive holiday recipes that are sure to delight seafood lovers.

Sea Scallops Grenobloise

For the Scallops

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12 Large Sea Scallops

salt

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white pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce

1 qt of stock, vegetable or chicken

1 cup of white wine or champagne (optional)

1 cup of chopped mushrooms

1 smal shallot, finely diced

100g flour

100g butter

1/2qt of cream

salt, pepper, blade mace, star anise

To make the sauce:

Sweat the shallot, mushrooms in a 3qt stock pot or sauce pan over low heat, deglaze with the wine (optional) add the stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

In a 5 qt stock pot or sauce pan, melt the butter, once it has completely melted, whisk in the flour to make a roux. Turn off the heat. Add your boiling hot stock a little at a time to the roux. bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the spices.

Once reduced, add the cream, continue to reduce until the sauce gets to a consistency think enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and white pepper, strain and chill down in an ice bath if you are not going to use the sauce on the same day, otherwise keep on the back of the stove. 

For the scallops:

Take the scallops and remove the muscle. Rinse under cold water to remove any grit or sand. Rinse a second time to make sure all the sand is removed. Dry the scallops with a paper towel.

  • in a non-stick pan heat your oil or clarified butter
  • season your scallops with a little salt and pepper.
  • when the fat in the pan begins to smoke, sear the scallop on one side
  • cook 2 to 4 minutes or until the edges are a golden brown
  • flip the scallops over and remove from the pan quickly, take pan from the heat.
  • transfer scallops to a serving plate and keep warm in the oven

The Big Finish:

Remove your fish from the oven and pour over the mushroom veloute.

Serve with potatoes or rice, sautéed mushrooms, spinach and (for best results) a glass of crisp white wine, sauvignon blanc works very well.

For the holiday season San Marzano is featuring a special recipe from the Puglia (Lecce) region of Italy on their catering menu. 

Swordfish Lasagna (Lasagna al Pesce Spada)

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Preparation Time: 50 minutes

1 pound Fresh lasagne

6 cups of Béchamel sauce

1/2 pound cooked and shelled shrimp

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large garlic clove

1 1/4 pounds swordfish steak, skin removed, cut into cubes

1/2 cup dry White wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1. Prepare the Béchamel sauce. Chop the cooked shrimp in a food processor, about 5 seconds and add to the béchamel as it cooks.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat, then cook the garlic until it begins to turn light brown.  Remove and discard the garlic.  Add the swordfish , basil, marsala, and season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes a side.  Remove the swordfish from the pan and set aside.  Turn the heat to high and reduce the liquid to 1/4 cup.  Set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

4. Butter a lasagne baking pan and layer the bottom with lasagne. Spread a layer of Béchamel mixture, then swordfish, the white wine liquid from the swordfish, and then the Béchamel. Continue in this order, finishing with a layer of Béchamel. Sprinkle with the parmigiano-reggiano, cover, and bake until bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.  Serve hot.


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