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Salmon-Asparagus Crêpes w/Swiss Cheese Sauce

Source of Recipe

Veronica Atkins


Recipe Introduction

When you buy salmon, ask for it to be cut from the belly, not from the tail. The fillets are thicker and meatier and will cook more uniformly. Cuts from the tail taper and cook more rapidly as a result.

List of Ingredients

1 lemon
6 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 to 1-1/4 pounds salmon fillet
4 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (2-1/2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups Swiss Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)
12 Herbed Crêpes (see tip)




Recipe

Cut lemon in half; squeeze juice into a large, straight-sided skillet or shallow saucepan. Add water, salt and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add salmon and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer salmon to a plate; flake with a fork. Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

Melt remaining 2 teaspoons butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and season with salt and pepper; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Add 1 cup of the cheese sauce to asparagus and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and gently stir in the salmon. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Set crêpes on a flat surface. Spoon 1/3 cup salmon mixture on each crêpe and roll up; set, seam-side down, in baking dish. Cover top of crêpes with remaining sauce and bake until sauce is bubbling and edges are lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Atkins Tip: Blintzes and crêpes are both thin pancakes, rolled with sweet or savory fillings. A crêpe is served just after filling, while a blintz is sautéed before serving.

For Herbed Crêpes, add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper after straining batter.

Swiss Cheese Sauce
Phases 1 – 4

Per serving: Net Carbs: 1.5 grams; Carbohydrates: 1.5 grams; Fiber: 0 grams: Protein: 4 grams; Fat: 14 grams: Calories: 148.5

Prep time: 5 minutes; Cook time: 5 minutes; Servings: 6 (1/3 cup each)

Based loosely on the classic Mornay sauce, Swiss Cheese Sauce is versatile; serve it with eggs, fish and shellfish, or chicken.

1 tablespoon ThickenThin not/Starch thickener
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
3 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch grated nutmeg

Combine thickener and cream in a bowl; let stand for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring wine to a boil in a small saucepan and let boil until almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add broth and thickened cream and return to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Season with salt, cayenne and nutmeg. Use right away or cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

Atkins Tip: If you’ll be making this sauce to serve with chicken, replace the clam juice with lower sodium chicken broth.