FRIDAY NIGHT SEAFOOD SUPPER ~ SALMON & WILD RICE CHOWDER / LEE BAILEY'S ONION-PARMESAN PUFFS

SALMON & WILD RICE CHOWDER

~ Perfect fare for a blustery night (adapted from The Gunflint Lodge Cookbook)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 finely chopped red onion

1 finely chopped (white part only) leek

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup diced celery

1 tsp. fresh thyme

2 Tbsp. flour

3 (8-oz) bottles clam juice

1/2 cup roasted tomatoes*

1 cup cooked wild rice

1/2 lb. chunks of bite-sized salmon

1 cup corn

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (2 tsp. dried)

salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste

• Melt butter in stockpot. Add onion, leek, garlic, celery and thyme. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in flour. Simmer slowly for 3-4 minutes. Whisk in clam juice; cook until thickened.
• Add roasted tomatoes, cooked wild rice, salmon, corn, and cream, and basil. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until salmon is cooked. Season with salt & pepper to taste. (serves 6)

Note: ROASTED TOMATOES: Slice Roma tomatoes lengthwise and brush halves with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange cut side u on baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt and pepper. Bake at 250-degrees for 2-3 hours or until tomatoes are about half to three-fourths dried (similar to dried apricots.) Store in covered container in refrigerator for 4-5 days ore freeze for up to 6 months.

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LEE BAILEY'S ONION-PARMESAN PUFFS

1 1/2 cup water

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks ) unsalted butter

2 cup coarsely chopped onions

2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups flour

6 eggs

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

milk

additional grated Parmesan for topping

• Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
• Bring water to boil in medium saucepan and add 1/2 cup (1 stick)of butter. Meanwhile, saute onions in remaining butter until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• When butter has melted in the water and mixture has come to a boil again, add salt and flour, all at once. Turn heat down to low and stir for a few minutes until mixture makes a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
• Off the heat, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Combine Parmesan cheese with the dough and then the sauteed onions, mixing thoroughly.
• Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the greased cookie sheets. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Bake until golden and puffy, about 35-40 minutes. (about 2 dozen puffs)