Fish Poached in White Wine |
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Filets de Poisson Poches au Vin Blanc 60g (2 oz) butter 2 tablespoons chopped spring onions 1.25 kg (2 1/2 lb) sole or alaska salmon fillets, skinned salt and pepper 1 small bunch of parsley 2 cups dry white wine 2 tablespoons plain flour 125g (4 oz) cooked shelled prawns Garnish: Lemon wedges few cooked unshelled prawns (optional) Process: Melt half the butter in a pan, add the spring onions and cook for 2 minutes. Roll up the fish fillets and arrange in an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with the spring onions, salt and pepper to taste. Add the parsley and wine. Cover and cook in a preheated moderate oven, 160 C (325 F), for 15 to 20 min until tender. Transfer the fish to a warm serving dish using a slotted spoon and keep warm; reserve the stock. Combine the remaining butter and flour to make a beurre manié*. Strain the stock into pan and bring to the boil. Gradually stir in the beurre manié to thicken the sauce. Add prawns and check the seasoning. Spoon over the fish and garnish with lemon wedges and whole prawns, if using. Servers 6 * Beurre Manié Beurre manié is a paste made from flour and butter which is used as a sauce thickener. As the name suggests, it comes from the French culinary tradition, although beurre manié can be used in food from other nations as well. Sauces and stews are both thickened with the assistance of beurre manié, which should not be confused with roux. The paste is usually made in small amounts at the time of use. In French, beurre manié means “kneaded butter.” The paste is made by working usually equal parts of butter and flour together so that the butter completely encases each grain of flour. When the beurre manié is added to a sauce or stew, the butter melts, releasing the flour and promoting thickening. Using beurre manié will eliminate clumping, since the flour is not added in a solid mass. Because beurre manié is not cooked before use, it can add an undesired raw, floury flavor. For this reason, the sauce or stew is always cooked after the addition of the beurre manié, to neutralize the flavor. It also tends to be used in small amounts, so that the flour does not become overwhelming in the dish it is used in. For cooks who are just starting to learn how to use beurre manié, it is better to err on the side of caution and use less, rather than more. |
