Pastel de pescado

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title:  PASTEL DE PESCADO
  Categories: Pies, Seafood, Masterchefs, New york, Rltbr
       Yield: 8 servings
  
 -----------------------------------PASTRY-----------------------------------
       3 c  Flour, all purpose
       2 ts Salt
       1 pn Sugar
     1/2 c  Butter, unsalted, chilled
            -- cut into small pieces
     1/4 c  Water, cold (about)
 
 ----------------------------------FILLING----------------------------------
       2 bn Swiss chard, (3 to 4 lbs)
            -- coarsely chopped
       2 tb Butter, unsalted
       2 tb Oil, olive
       2 sm Chiles, split lengthwise,
            -- trimmed, seeded, finely
            -- chopped
       3 ea Garlic, cloves, chopped
       1 ts Ginger, finely chopped
       1 md Onion, chopped
       1 pn Nutmeg, ground
       1 pn Cumin, powder
       1 pn Thyme, dried
     1/2 ea Lemon, juice of (to taste)
            Salt
       1 lg Egg yolk, mixed with 1 ts
            -- water
       2 lb Cod, fillets, OR
       2 lb Whitefish, fillets
       1 pn Mustard, black, seeds
            -- (optional)
  
   For Pastry:
   ===========
   
        In a mixing bowl or processor, combine the flour, the salt, and
   sugar.  Cut in 1/2 cup of butter until crumbly.  Add just enough cold
   water so that they dough holds together in a ball.  Seal in plastic
   wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
   
   For Filling:
   ============
   
        Working in small batches, blanch the Swiss chard in boiling
   salted water.  Drain, rinse under cold water, and thoroughly squeeze
   dry.  Chop the chard finely and set aside.
   
        Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and oil in a large skillet.  Add
   chilies, garlic, ginger and saute over medium heat for 1 minute
   without browning.  Add the onion, and cook with stirring until
   translucent.  Add the nutmeg, cumin and thyme and cook 1 minute
   longer.  Add Swiss chard and stir until completely dry.  Remove from
   heat, season to taste with lemon juice and salt, and set aside.
   
   To Assemble:
   ============
   
        Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a very
   large circle 1/4 inch thick.  Fold into quarters and carefully
   transfer the dough to a buttered 9-inch springform pan.  Unfold the
   dough and gently fit it into the bottom of the pan, leaving a generous
   overhang.  Brush the bottom and sides with some of the egg yolk
   mixture and set aside to dry for about 10 minutes.
   
        Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread half of the Swiss chard filling
   over the dough and arrange fish fillets on top.  Cover evenly with
   remaining Swiss chard.  Gently gather up the edges of the dough in the
   center, and twist it into a topknot, pinching the knot with thumb and
   forefinger.  Leaving a knot 2 to 3 inches high, cut off the excess
   dough.  Brush with the remaining egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with
   mustard seeds, and cut several slashes around the top.
   
        Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
   Cool completely on a rack before removing sides of the pan.  Cut into
   wedges and serve at room temperature.
   
        Source:  New York's Master Chefs, Bon Appetit Magazine
        :  Written by Richard Sax, Photographs by Nancy McFarland
        :  The Knapp Press, Los Angeles, 1985
   
        Chef:  Felipe Rohas-Lombardi, Rojas-Lombardi Restaurant,
   :          New York
  
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