Indian-Spiced Phyllo and Smoked Salmon Napoleons
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp.pure chile powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
5 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2 Tbsp. snipped chives
2 Tbsp. mint leaves
4 large radishes, 3 cut into matchsticks, 1 thinly sliced
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
1 large jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt, to taste
1/2 pound thinly sliced smoked salmon
Instructions:
Drain the yogurt through a coffee filter in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375F. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then let cool slightly, and pour into a small bowl, leaving the milk solids behind. Stir in the chile powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne.
Cut the phyllo sheets in half crosswise. Working with 3 sheets at a time and keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, brush the sheets with some of the spiced butter and stack them in three separate 3-layer piles. Discard the remaining phyllo and trim off any of the ragged edges. Cut 1 of the stacks into six 3-1/2″ squares and transfer all the phyllo dough onto 2 baking sheets, re-forming the cut rectangle, and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden, then let the sheets cool.
In a blender, puree the yogurt with the cilantro, chives and mint. Transfer this mixture to a small bowl and stir in the radish matchsticks, onion and minced jalapeno. Whip the cream until it creates firm peaks and fold into the herbed yogurt. Season to taste with salt, reserving 1/2 a cup of the yogurt.
Place 1 of the large phyllo stacks on a work surface and top with half of the salmon and half of the herbed yogurt, then cover with the second large phyllo stack and the remaining salmon and yogurt. Top with the phyllo squares, re-forming the rectangle and using the squares as guides to cut the individual napoleons. Using a very sharp knife, cut the napoleons, between the squares. Wipe the knife blade after each cut and set each of the napoleons on a plate. Top with a dollop of the reserved yogurt and garnish with the radish slices, then serve.
Serve with a mesclun salad.
Yields 6 entree servings.
Recipe by Grace Parisi in Food & Wine Magazine, November 1998.