In this example I have used Mangrove Snapper, because that is what I had available. In the past I have used this classic preparation with Snapper, Grouper, Trout, Spanish Mackerel (Skin off), Chilean Sea Bass, Turbot, Lot, Ling (Cobia) Wahoo and a multitude of other white fleshed fish. Tuna and Salmon are probably 2 examples of a fish that really do not lend themselves well to this preparation that is both light in flavor and flattering to the subtle flavors inherent to the lighter flavored varietals of fish.
Mangrove Snapper Franchaise
Mise en place - (Literally Translated to - "Everything in its Place")
2 Snapper Filets skin removed
1C Seasoned Flour (I use Old Bay)
1 Dry Vermouth
Blended Olive Oil
1 Stick Whole Butter
Juice of 1.5 to 2 Lemons (depends on yield)
3 Eggs Beaten
Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper
1-2 # Quartered Baby Yukon Gold or Red Bliss Potatoes
1-2 Fresh Rosemary Sprig
1 Pinch Cayenne Pepper
2 Pinch Powdered Garlic
"Mise En Place" is a French phrase taught in every culinary school and discussed on every Hot Line in the country, daily. Literally translated it, means "Everything in its Place". Professional lineman will ask each other before service, inquiring if they have completed the necessary prep to execute the nights' business, "Got all your MISE set?" Having your lemons juiced and ready as well as applicable Herbs and Garlic pre chopped are great literal examples, however it really extends far past that to describe the total "state of mind" of the cook. Oven set and heated? Strainer for sauce ready? Butter chopped and ready to whisk into the sauce at the right time? Wine bottles for cooking pre corked?...Basically being mentally ready to go, prepped, prepared and ready to execute at the proper time what is called for. Not at all unlike being rigged and ready to take advantage of the bite when it comes. Proper live-bait at hand? Proper rigging already accomplished? The sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, knowing you were not ready for the bite when it happened and the missed opportunity is identical to the feeling of burning something because you were scrambling trying to get something ready that should have been done before....no difference.
First filet fish and removing any pin bones and all skin.
Season filets with salt and freshly cracked pepper.
Dredge in flour.
At this point you should have a preheated sauté pan ready to go at med-high heat. I like to use a blend of olive and vegetable oil as it has a much higher flash point that pure butter. (2/3 Vegetable oil to 1/3 Extra Virgin olive oil is a pretty good ratio) Some Spanish olive oils are available that provide intense flavor at a fraction of the cost.
One of the downfalls of using oil over butter is the difficulty in achieving the "golden Brown "color we all identify so well with. This can be achieved by introducing a thumbnail full of Whole Butter into the hot oil, allowing the milk solids in the butter to"burn brown".
Once the pan is ready, take a flour dredged filet, shaking excess four, and immerse in the beaten egg mixture.
Carefully and without dripping too much : Place the filet into the pan so that the last piece of filet entering the pan does so AWAY from you. This will prevent any inadvertent hot oil splash. They hurt, but do heal.
Cook approx 2 minutes depending on thickens then turn. Some prefer tongs, some a spatula. Use what you are the most dexterous at manipulating.
Once filets are 9/10 cooked remove and reserve in a warm place, so we may begin the pan sauce. The carryover cooking effect after removing them will take them the last 1/10 of the way home.
This sauce may be made in the same pan. Take a few paper towels in your tongs and wipe away drippings, while pan is hot.
Place pan back on stovetop, lower heat and allow pan to cool a tad, as we are going to now make a roux to bind the sauce. A roux is simply equal parts butter and flour cooked to differing points as dictate by the product it is to bind. The best way to do this is slowly and NOT to brown it too quickly.
While trying to take the picture, I let the pan heat slide a tad to far away from me, thus browning the roux. Though it does not dramatically alter the flavor, the color of the sauce is darker than ideal.
Introduce the lemon juice, then ½ standard bottle of white wine. I prefer Dry Vermouth as it is A - Crisp and non committal in flavor and B - Quite cheaper than most Chardonnay.
A note: Many Chardonnays have gone through a short but intensive maturation process to infuse flavor to the wine like curing in charred barrels of "Fruitwood" as Oak, Apple or Cherry. These subtleties in the wine will be destroyed by cooking it, anyway.
Either way - use what ya got - the differences are hardly distinguishable.
Reduce by half or until all traces of alchahol are removed from the sauce base. Sauce base should be the consistency of Shampoo at this point.
Remove from heat and whisk in remaining stick of butter.
Spoon sauce onto service plate, top with warm Fish Filet.
Garnish and add sides of choice. In the picture I have accompanied with Petit Yukon Gold potatoes, oven roasted with fresh Rosemary, a pinch Cayenne Pepper and Garlic. Red Bliss also works very well here.
On this night, my wife had demanded, "NO VEGGIES!" and I wisely obliged. IMHO he plate screams" Green! "to me, so I would ideally add a fresh green veg like a bed of sautéed spinach, possible and top with fresh chopped Italian Leaf Parsley. Since my wife is currently pregnant and all pregnant women can be quite dangerous at times, I smartly listened to her. For this touch, you will need to use your imagination. :
Mangi !
