This recipe for poached sole fillet on creamy potato mash with veloute sauce and wilted spinach is for one serve, although there will be more stock and veloute than needed.
The remainder can be frozen for future use.
To fillet fish
1 sole
Wash the sole thoroughly.
Scale by running the back of the knife from tail to head.
Hold the tail firmly, then cut and scrape the skin until sufficient is lifted to be gripped.
Pull the skin away from tail to head.
Remove both black and white skins this way.
Remove the fillets and store presentation side up (the side next to the bone.)
For fish stock
10g butter
50g onions
1 fish frame (bones)
juice of half a lemon
3 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 parsley stalk
1 cartouche (paper cut to fit the saucepan)
500ml cold water
For fish veloute
20g butter
20g flour
400ml fish stock (see above)
40ml creamsalt, pepper, lemon and cayenne
Poached sole in white wine
Sole fillets
Salt and white pepper to taste
120ml fish stock (see above)
30ml dry white wine
juice of a 1/2 lemon
Melt the butter in a pot, peel and slice the onions.
Sweat them in butter until translucent.
Wash the fish bones thoroughly, cut up small and add to the onions with the rest of the ingredients.
Place the cartouche on top and sweat for five minutes.
Add the cold water, bring to the boil, skim, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain and reserve the liquid.
Melt butter and combine with flour to form a white roux.
Allow to cook for a minute or so, then add hot stock little by little, whisking the sauce back to the boil each time before adding the next amount.
Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon and a pinch or two of cayenne.
In a small braising pan place the fillets presentation side down, season and fold into a delice (an S shape).
Add the hot fish stock, wine and lemon.
Cover and cook just below a simmer on the stove top for 2-3 minutes just before serving.
Wilted spinach
1 cup fresh spinach
10g butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Wash, pick over and rewash the spinach.
Heat the butter until just bubbling, add the spinach and cook on high heat until it has wilted.
Season to taste during cooking and serve immediately.
Potato puree
125g potatoes, agria are best
5g butter
30ml milk
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste
Roast the garlic with salt and pepper and a little butter in foil until soft, in an oven at 180degC for 15-20 minutes.
Peel the potatoes, dice and place in a pan with well-salted water.
Bring to the boil, and simmer until tender.
Drain well and return to a low heat, add the butter and milk.
Pass through a potato ricer and season to taste.
Add the crushed roasted garlic and mix well.
Keep warm.
This recipe has been supplied by Stephen Ellwood of TECHnique restaurant at Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin. It was requested by Kay George, of Abbotsford.
If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 181, Dunedin,or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
