Filets de Poisson Poches Au Vin Blanc

Hello readers! Sorry I've been on hiatus, I unfortunately have not been cooking much lately due to beginning to bartend at nights. However, today is my day off so I wanted to treat Nate to a nice dinner. I bought a bottle of Riesling about a month ago and have been waiting for the perfect fish dish to pair it with. So, I cracked open my trusty copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking because, duh, Julia Child is queen and I found a recipe that sounded just perfect! 

Filets de Poisson Poches Au Vin Blanc

This is just a fancy French name for Fish Filets Poached in White Wine. 

I adjusted the recipe for 2 people but Julia has it for 6. 

2 fillets of flounder or sole

Salt and pepper, to taste 

1 Tbsp finely minced shallots or green onions (I used green onions) 

2 Tbsp butter cut into bits 

2/3 C dry white vermouth 

1/4 C bottled clam juice

Waxed paper 

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While your oven is preheating, butter a oven-safe sauté pan. 

Sprinkle half of your minced shallots or green onions in the bottom of the pan.

 

Season both sides of your fish with salt and pepper and place on top of the green onions. Slightly overlap the fish and sprinkle on the remainder of the green onions. 

Pour the cold liquid on the fish, but barely cover it. 

Put the pan over medium heat until the liquid is almost simmering, then cover with the wax paper (I pressed mine onto he top of the fish because I was using a Dutch oven, not sure if you were supposed to do that or not...Julia wasn't clear on that.) 

Place the saucepan (or Dutch oven in my case) in the bottom part of your oven and  poach away for 8-12 minutes. Don't overcook the fish because overcooked fish is just truly terrible; seconded only to overbooked octopus or squid. Basically, when you can pierce the pierce the fish with a fork easily it's done. 

Remove the paper, cover and pour the poaching liquid into another saucepan. This is going to become the most magnificent sauce you've ever had.

Now I know what you're thinking: where do the bits of butter come in? After the fish has been drained, put the dots of butter onto the filets of fish and let them melt into delicious pools of salty and creamy goodness. 

In a separate small bowl, melt 1 Tbsp butter and stir in 2 Tbsp flour to make a paste. Add to the reserved poaching liquid and bring to a boil. Once sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (it's not a glaze, the sauce will be thin. Don't get discouraged!), season with salt, pepper and lemon. 

I served this magnificent fish dish (thank you, Julia!) with sautéed asparagus and mashed red potatoes. 

Sautéed Asparagus

1 Tbsp butter

1 bunch asparagus

2 cloves garlic 

1/2 lemon 

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and brown the garlic. Once you can smell the intoxicating aroma of sautéing garlic, add in the asparagus and sauté until bright green and coated in butter. Drop the heat to low and sprinkle with lemon juice. 

Red Mashed Potatoes 

3 C water

4 red potatoes, cleaned and cubed

1 Tbsp butter 

Salt and pepper, taste 

1/2 C heavy cream 

In a pot over high heat, heat water and add in potatoes and boil until tender 

Drain into a colander. 

Add in butter, cream, salt and pepper and mash until the perfect consistency.

Allow me to say: this meal had enough butter to stop your heart, paired flawlessly with the 2015 Terrassen Riesling and reinvigorated my passion for cooking and now blogging! 

To thank Julia properly, here's a picture of me at Julia Child's kitchen at the Smithsonian a couple weeks ago. Thank you, readers!