MyPlate Recommendation

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The United States Department of Agriculture says twice a week, make seafood the protein on your plate. Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry.

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salmon and asparagus pasta mornay

salmon mornay
 
The five mother sauces – hollandaise, tomato, béchamel, veloute (gravy), and espagnole – are not light, but they should be respected and understood.  This was my attitude going into the “Sauces, Sauces, and More Sauces” cooking class I took on Saturday at the University of Hawaii. Perhaps I didn’t know just how not light they are, but I still stand by my position to cherish these delicious classics in small amounts. Or lightened up to eat more frequently. One of my favorites was mornay sauce, a cheesy twist on béchamel.  I brought some home and ate about a tablespoon of it today for lunch with salmon, asparagus, and whole wheat angel hair pasta. Trust me; a tablespoon is more than enough of this decadent, gooey goodness. 
 
Chef Mark Segobiano's Mornay Sauce
1 oz. clarified butter
1 oz. bread flour
16 oz. milk
1/4 onion, peeled
2 whole cloves
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 oz. cubed butter
 
1.  Heat butter in a heavy sauce pan.  Add flour to make a white roux.
2.  Allow roux to cool slightly.
3.  In another heavy saucepan, scald the milk.  Gradually add it to the roux, beating continuously.
4.  Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to a simmer.
5.  Stick the bay leaf and cloves in the onion and add to the sauce.
6.  Simmer sauce for 20-25 minutes on low heat.  Stir often.
7.  Adjust the consistency with more hot milk if the sauce becomes too thick.
8.  Season lightly with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
9.  Strain the sauce through a china cap lined with cheese cloth.
10.Add grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheese.  Stir to mix and melt cheeses.
11.Swirl in butter to finish sauce.
12.Do not put back on stove top once you have added the cheeses.
 
The salmon, by the way, was leftover from a maple-pepper salmon bites appetizer I made for a get-together with friends Saturday night.  They’re a fail-proof crowd-pleaser I used to make all the time and need to keep in my entertaining repertoire.
 
Tomorrow my parents-in-law arrive to celebrate Lloyd’s 30th birthday on April 25.  We’re going to Maui with them for a long weekend starting Thursday, and I just can’t wait, though it still seems worlds away. There was also rumor of Sushi Sasabune this week to get the celebration started, which would of course be a gift to all people involved.   

About Jennifer

I am a registered dietitian with the National Fisheries Institute, so fish is my nutrition forte. I earned my BA in Communication from Southwestern University, just outside of Austin, TX. During college, one of my very favorite evening outings was a leisurely trip to the grocery market. My passion for food was undeniable, so I combined both of my interests by earning my MS in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University in Boston, MA. As well as my Registered Dietitian (RD) credential through the University of Delaware.

Beyond reading scientific studies about docosahexaenoic acid and selenium, I love to entertain, travel, watch reality TV, grill outdoors, and go to spin class. I live in Kailua, HI on the island of Oahu where my husband serves as a US Marine Corps JAG.

People in Hawaii eat more fish and shellfish than average, but over 80 percent of typical Americans don't eat seafood at least twice per week. Doctors and dietitians like me say that's the goal, so BlogAboutSeafood is here to show you just what plenty of seafood looks like in an RD's real-life diet.

Photo by Marco Garcia

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