Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Sautéed Fish Fillets Meunière with Sauce Grenobloise





It's fish cooked in a light batter, with a sauce of lemon and capers, so simple to make, so delicious. So perfect. So quick. So impressive. 

Meuniére
refers to both a sauce and a method of preparation, primarily for fish. The word itself means "millers wife". Thus to cook something a la meuniére means to cook it by first dredging it in flour. The sauce, or even known as Grenobloise is a simple preparation— brown butter, lemon wedges, chopped parsley, and capers.

This recipe calls for the fish to be soaked in milk for 30 minutes or more, and I wondered why. After doing some research and giving it some thought, these were the two reasons I thought made sense— 1. it reduces the 'fishy' odor. If you bought fresh fish, it shouldn't have a 'fishy' odor, but by the time it makes it way home from the market, in your car, to your fridge, it may develop a stronger smell. By soaking it in milk, the milk absorbs the chemical (trimethylamine oxide) and 2. it helps create a nice soft and light batter once it is dredged in the flour. Furthermore, some state that soaking the filet in milk, helps result in a softer and flakier fish.

Chef Sara Moulton, thank you for this recipe. It will surely be a repeat dinner in our home!

 Makes 4 servings
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 40 minutes

Ingredients
Four 6-ounce pieces, skinless, mild-flavored fish fillets, such as trout, tilapia, or catfish
2 cups milk 
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Grenobloise Sauce (recipe below)

Directions
1. Cover the fish with the milk, cover, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Drain the fish, discarding the milk. Season the pieces with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick or stick resistant skillet over moderately high heat.
4. Dredge fish in a pie plate filled with flour, or dust flour on the fillets, using a small fine mesh sieve. (This is my cooks tip to avoid wasting the extra flour. Dust from at least 8-inches above, to create an even coating of flour).
3. Place the pieces in the skillet and sauté them, turning once, for 3 minutes per side, or until they are golden and almost cooked through. Transfer the fillets to dinner plates and cover them with foil to keep them warm. Make the Grenobloise Sauce in the same skillet you cooked the fish. Spoon some of the sauce over each portion and serve.

Sauce Grenobloise
Ingredients
1 lemon
2 – 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons drained brined capers
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Directions
1. Remove the peel and pith from the lemon with a serrated knife and cut the lemon into sections.
2. Add the butter to the same skillet that the fish was cooked; cook, stirring, until it turns a deep brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in lemon pieces, capers, and parsley; swirl skillet to combine. Spoon sauce over fish. Serve immediately.

2 comments:

  1. Nam, once again you give us quick and delicious meals to TRY and replicate! hahaa miss you tons...besos to you and Ishaan!

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    Replies
    1. Claudia, hope you do try it! Have you tried anything else from the blog, would love to know! And hope to see you soon… besos

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