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Doing spaghetti but last night did poached snapper and it was FANTASTIC!! This is a Jacques Pepin recipe. I didn't have fresh tomatoes so used a can of diced that I drained very well.
Poached Red Snapper Provençal
4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
Approximately 10 ounces red snapper fillets, skin on
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay,
plus more if needed
1/2 cup Tomates Concassées (peeled, seeded,
juiced, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, see below)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
For the sauce
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, soft
2 teaspoons flour
1/4 cup cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
For garnish
Cucumbers Tournés, optional, (recipe follows)
Chopped parsley
Special equipment: A 10-inch stainless-steel sauté pan with tight-fitting lid;
a gratin dish to hold the fillet; a small wire whisk
Scatter the onion in the bottom of the pan and lay the fillets on top, skin up. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on the fish and pour the wine over them. Scatter the tomato pieces and thyme over the fillets. (If you wish, fit a paper cover into the pan, buttered side down.)
Cover the pan, and bring the liquid to a steady, very gentle boil; poach 3
to 4 minutes for thin fillets, or more for thicker fillets. Pierce the center
of the fillet with a sharp knife to make sure that the flesh is opaque, or
cooked throughout.
Making the sauce
Transfer the fillets with a slotted spoon or spatula to a gratin or baking dish, skin up, and spoon the tomato pieces over them. Place the dish in a warm spot on the stove or in a very low oven, with the paper cover on top if you have one.
Mix the butter and four together in a small bowl to make a smooth paste (beurre manié). Bring the liquid in the poaching pan to the boil, then scoop
up the paste with the tip of the whisk and rapidly stir it into the liquid until completely incorporated. Pour in the cream, whisk to blend, and boil for a minute to thicken. Add any fish juices that have accumulated around the fillets and cook a few moments more, until the sauce is thick enough to
coat a spoon. Correct the seasoning, adding drops of lemon juice if the
sauce seems to lack acidity.
Serving the fillets
When the sauce is ready, arrange six warm Cucumbers Tournés (if you
have prepared them) to form rings on individual serving plates. Place
one fillet, topped with tomato pieces, in the center of the ring, and coat generously with sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.