- 1/2 pound boned, skinned salmon fillet
- 1/4 pound uncooked shelled, deveined shrimp
- 1/4 pound bay scallops
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- Tarragon Beurre Blanc (recipe follows)
- Fresh chives or fresh tarragon sprigs, rinsed
- Tarragon Beurre Blanc:
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup dry vermouth
- 3 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- 3/4 cup butter
- Rinse and drain salmon, shrimp, and scallops. Cut salmon into 1-inch chunks.
- In a food processor, whirl seafood to a thick paste. Add egg whites, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg; whirl until blended. Then add cream and whirl until very smooth.
- Butter 8 molds or ramekins (1/3- to 1/2-cup size). Spoon seafood mixture equally into molds and spread level.
- Pour 1/2 inch of boiling water into a 12- by 17-inch baking pan. Set molds in water and cover pan tightly with foil.
- Bake in a 350 degrees F regular or convection oven until a metal skewer inserted in center of timbales comes out clean, about 15 minutes. With a wide spatula, lift timbales from water. If done up to 30 minutes ahead, cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature.
- Spoon Tarragon Beurre Blanc equally onto eight warm plates . Run a knife between timbales and sides of molds. Invert a mold over sauce on each plate to release timbale; remove mold. Garnish timbales with fresh chives.
- Tarragon Beurre Blanc: In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, boil white wine vinegar, dry vermouth, shallots, and chopped fresh tarragon until reduced to 1/4 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Let stand at room temperature up to 2 hours.
- Just before serving, set pan over high heat, add butter, and stir constantly until it's melted and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm.