Stuffed Shells with Smoked Whitefish in a Lemon Béchamel Sauce

Okay soooo last weekend I didn't have a cooking buddy to teach new and exciting culinary techniques to.  However I did come up with a recipe that may not be EASY but it was soooo tasty I have to add it to the list.  While back home in the GP (thats Grosse Pointe for any of you non-Michiganders, which happens to be right next to D-town, wha wha) for the holidays my dad smoked about 3 lbs (three separate filets) of whitefish.  Which just so happens to be my totally favorite thing ever, not kidding nor is it an exaggeration.  I am a fan of the finger foods or tapa style dishes, and we ALWAYS have the white fish served on saltine crackers with some capers, red onions, and a delish sauce which is really just half mayo and half GOOD stone ground mustard.  Needless to say I ate about an entire filet myself this particular way, lol.  However I got to take another untouched filet back to chicago with me, and although I absolutely adore eating the whitefish in the manner just described, I thought how often do I have such a delicacy of fish as an ingredient at my disposal.  Thus, I began to agonize over what I should do with it in terms of a recipe, and came up with Stuffed Shells in a lemon Béchamel sauce.  Now this particular dish made a ton of food, and was sooo decadent  I could only eat two shells.  Essentially you make a filling of whipped ricotta cheese, fresh basil, parmesan, lemon zest, and the fish.  You then stuff it into the jumbo shell noodles, top it with your cream sauce, and then add more parmesan and some shredded mozzarella, and bake till ooey gooey and slightly browned on top.  But here is the EXACT recipe for you to try at home!  Bon A petit!

Stuffed Shells with Smoked Whitefish 
in a Lemon Bechamel Sauce

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

serves about 6-8 people

• 1 box of Jumbo Shell noodles (or you can use Cannelloni if you like)
  
• 1 cup of whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves chopped fine
• 1 lb of smoke whitefish (or any seafood of your choice, crab would be a nice substitute)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes for me was PERFECT.  Drain pasta and place each shell on slightly oiled cookie sheet/platter, do not lay on top of eachother, you do not want them to stick.

In large bowl mix together your ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup of parmesan, egg yolk, basil, seafood, lemon zest, salt and pepper (mix well).

Fill your noodles with about a tblspn of filling eachother.  Make sure to mold the mixture slightly so it is nice and compact (you do not want it to cook out of the noodles).

Place each shell into a buttered/oiled baking pan (9X13).  If using Shell noodles place them so the open edge is facing up.  Layer your Béchamel sauce evenly over the shells, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella. Bake until bubbly and the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

COOKING TIP: This meal can easily be a vegetarian crowd pleaser simply by leaving out the seafood! OR even add some spinach to give these shells a completely different taste.

Béchamel Sauce

• 1 stick of butter
• 3 tblspn of all purpose flour
• 6 cups of half and half (warmed)
• 6 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tblsp lemon zest

1. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  
2. Add your minced garlic and lemon zest and let saute' for a couple minutes, do not let it burn.  
3. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes.  
4. Gradually add the warmed half and half (warm the half and half in separate saucepan over low/med heat), whisking constantly until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy, about 10 minutes (do not allow the sauce to boil).  
5. Remove from heat, and stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
   

COOKING TIP:  The sauce can actually be made even a few days a head of time. Simply cool, cover, and refrigerate.  Make sure to warm the sauce slightly over low heat once ready to pour over your noodles.

 I definitely do not think this recipe is too difficult for newer cooks to try.  The only place you COULD run into any trouble is the thickening of the sauce.  Sometimes your sauce ends up more pasty than thick.  Just make sure to have EXTRA half and half or even milk at your disposal.  Then just keep adding it to the sauce until it becomes the right consistency.  I served this meal, to just Joe (my boyfriend and culinary muse) and myself, along side a hearty Antipasto salad (romaine and iceberg lettuce, hard salami, bacon, tomatoes, red onions, banana peppers, Asiago cheese (flakes), served with balsamic vinegar/olive oil and some italian seasoning).  I thought it was a great combination.  The only thing that was missing was a delish Pinot Grigio to pair with it!  Which if you need a good one, Santa Margherita Vineyards makes an AWESOME varietal!

http://www.santamargherita.com/en/products/white_wines/pinot_grigio_valdadige