Fish Fillets Poached With Wine

Photo: flickr user FotoosVanRobin

Ingredients

1/2 pound Fresh mushrooms

2 tablespoons Butter

1/2 tablespoon Lemon juice

2 tablespoons Minced shallots or scallions

Salt and pepper

10 Fillets, about 9 x 2 inches and 1/4 inch thick

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup White wine or vermouth

3/4 cup Fish or chicken stock

White wine sauce with herbs

2 tablespoons Butter

2 1/2 tablespoons Flour

1/2 cup Heavy whipping cream

Salt, pepper and drops of 2 tablespoons Minced fresh herbs such as a mixture of parsley,

Preparation

Fish Fillets poached with wine and mushrooms in a creamy sauce (a la Julia Childs) - a classic combination, served in a creamy veloute sauce with herbs, made from the fragrant poaching juices.

The mushrooms. for 5 people trim, wash and slice 1/2 pound (3 cups) of fresh mushrooms. Cook them clowly for 3 to 4 minutes in a covered stainless pan with 2 Tablespoons of butter, 1/2 Tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons minced shallots or scallions, just until the mushrooms are limp but not browned. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside

(add the cooking juices to the poaching liquid described below).

Preparations for poaching. Score 10 fish fillets about 9 X 2 inches and 1/4 inch thick. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and arrange half of them closely together in a buttered flameproof baking and serving dish.

Divide the cooked mushrooms over each fillet; cover with the remaining fillets, as shown.

Poaching. Preheat the oven to 350F. Pour 3/4 cup of white wine or vermouth, 3/4 cup of fish or chicken stock and the mushroom juices around the fish; add a little more wine or stock if needed so liquid almost covers the fish. Lay a piece of buttered wax paper, cut to fit, on top of the fish. Bring just to the simmer on top of the stove; set in lower middle of the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until fish is opaque and springy rather than squashy; do not overcook. Drain out the poaching liquid into a stainless saucepan. Cover the fish and keep warm while making the sauce.

White wine sauce with herbs (Sauce Chivry). Rapidly boil down poaching liquid until reduced to 1 cup. Meanwhile in another saucepan melt 2 Tablespoons of butter, stir in 2-1/2 tablespoons of flour and cook slowly stirring until butter and flour foam and froth together for 2 minutes without coloring more than a buttery yellow. Remove from heat; when bubbling has stopped, pour in all the hot poaching liquid at once, vigorously blending with a wire whip. Beat in 1/2 cu

Thin out sauce as necessary with dollops of cream - sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. Taste carefully, adding more salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice. Stir in 2 Tablespoons of minced fresh herbs such as a mixture of parsley, chives and tarragon.