Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [92]
3 leeks, white part only, sliced ½ inch (1 cm) thick on the diagonal
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound (450 g) haricots verts
1 cup (250 ml) Fish Stock (page 169)
1 large orange
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
⅓ cup (75 ml) sour cream
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the fish steaks from the refrigerator. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook for 3 minutes, or until beginning to color. Lower the heat, cover, and cook the leeks for 10 minutes, or until soft. Drain in a sieve, place in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
2. While the leeks are cooking, clean the haricots verts, blanch them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, and then drain in a sieve and refresh under cold running water. Drain well.
3. Add the beans to the leeks and toss together. Spread the leeks and green beans on the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the halibut steaks in one layer. Season the fish steaks with salt and pepper and place them on top of the vegetables. Pour over the fish stock and cover with aluminum foil. Cook the halibut for 30 to 40 minutes, or until opaque in the center.
4. While the fish is cooking, make the sauce: Finely grate the zest of half the orange and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the remaining zest, and cut it into matchsticks. Blanch these matchsticks in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold running water. Juice half the orange; you should have ¼ cup (60 ml). Mix the juice, grated orange zest, and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Gradually blend in the sour cream, then season with salt and pepper.
5. When the fish is cooked, uncover and garnish with the matchsticks of orange zest. Serve directly from the baking dish, with the sauce on the side.
Skate with Butter and Caper Sauce
Skate wings are usually poached in court bouillon and served with a pan sauce of butter and capers. If you can’t find skinned skate, the skin will come off easily once the fish is poached. I prefer salt-packed capers for this dish because they have more flavor, but rinse off all that salt before using them.
⅓ cup (75 ml) white wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, sliced
6 black peppercorns
2 pieces skate wing, 8 to 12 ounces (225 to 350 g) each
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick; 125 g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt-packed, rinsed
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Combine the vinegar, bay leaf, and onion in a large saucepan or a pan large enough to hold the skate, add 4 cups (11) water, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, add the peppercorns, and simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Place the skate in the pan and poach gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is just cooked. Remove the fish from the court bouillon and drain well. Remove the skin if necessary, and transfer to warmed plates. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm, loosely covered with aluminum foil.
3. Cook the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until it melts and begins to color. Watch carefully, and use your nose: As soon as it starts to brown and you smell a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat and add the capers and vinegar, swirling to mix. Pour over the fish, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.
* * *
Skate Skin
Skate and ray have thick skin, and the top skin is dark and leathery. Have your fishmonger remove the top skin and, if possible, the paler underside skin. The paler underneath skin is not as critical, as it will not mar the presentation of the fish. If you must buy skate with the skin on, it will lift off easily once the fish is poached.
Skate with Grape Sauce
When in Paris, I often watch a television cooking show hosted by the famous French chef Joël Robuchon. There is no flash or pizzazz, simply carefully demonstrated techniques and dishes that anyone could make. Each week, Monsieur Robuchon invites a different chef, and together, they cook just one