Summer is approaching rapidly and begs for lighter, simpler flavours. Even if it rains throughout June, July and August we are still unlikely to be in the mood for a rich stew or other winter warming fare.
In summer we eat salads, new potatoes with butter, strawberries and cream – simple flavours that are easy to prepare. Summer also seems the right time of year for poaching fish.
To poach a fish you first need to make a Court-Bouillon, a stock that is mainly used for fish and shellfish but also for chicken and white offal such as sweetbreads.
The stock is used from cold, so must be prepared up to one hour before you plan to cook the fish. Placing fish into a hot court-bouillon causes the flesh to shrink and increases cooking time. Allowing the stock to cool also improves its flavour.
Firm fleshed fish such as salmon, trout or ray work best but any fish that will not fall apart can be poached.
Once used, the court-bouillon should not be discarded but strained and poured into a (hot) sterile jar and kept in the fridge for making soup or poaching more fish.
Ingredients are flexible but a court-bouillon generally contains salted water, white wine, lemon juice, bay leaf and pepper corns. Feel free to add celery, carrots, onions or garlic and replace the wine with cider or the lemon juice with wine vinegar.
Court-bouillon
Ingredients: 1.5ltr Water, 2tsp Sea Salt, ½ Chopped Onion, 2-3 slices of lemon, 1 bay leaf, some parsley stalks, 3 peppercorns.
Bring all the ingredients, except the peppercorns, to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, add the peppercorns, and remove from the heat to allow to cool.
Ray with Noisette Butter
Place two ray wings in cold court-bouillon, bring to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and sprinkle with a squeeze of lemon juice and 1tbs of finely chopped parsley.
For Noisette Butter, heat 75g of butter in a small pan. The butter will foam and after 1-2 minutes at medium heat it will begin to colour and emit a nutty aroma. Once it reaches this stage pour over the fish and serve.
