Arctic Char ‘en papillote’ with Figs and Squash
Arctic Char ‘en papillote’ with Figs and Squash
This past holiday season, I found myself entertaining for the masses (ie. friends and family) and my dish of choice was Char. Described as a cross between trout and salmon, this peachy fish cooks beautifully ‘en papillote’ (in an air-tight envelope of parchment paper) in all forms: whole, filleted, or individually portioned. The following recipe shows how to cook a whole char with garnishes. See the link at the end for detailed instructions on how to filet the fish once it is cooked.
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves 2-3 people
Ingredients:
1 Carnival Squash (or Acorn squash)
4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt & White Pepper or Esplette
2 lb. Char, cleaned (2.3 lbs before cleaning)
8-10 fresh Figs
6-7 sprigs Tarragon, + 2 Tbsp chopped leaves
2 small Shallots, one sliced, one finely diced
¾ cup Dry White Wine, or Vermouth
¼ cup Chicken stock or water
1 T Black cracked pepper
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 Egg yolks
Technique:
•Preheat oven to 375˚F.
•Cut squash in half and remove seeds with a serrated butter curler or sharp spoon, season with EVO the salt & pepper.
•Rinse the char in cold water, pat dry, and arrange diagonally on a large piece of parchment over a sheet pan.
oIf you have access to fig leaves, they can be used instead or in addition to parchment for added flavor & authenticity.
•Arrange figs around the fish, drizzle both with EVO and season with salt and pepper/espelette inside and out.
•Stuff the cavity with 3-4 large sprigs of tarragon and one shallot, sliced thin, then pour ¼ cup wine/vermouth inside fish.
•Meanwhile, combine diced shallot, ½ cup wine/vermouth, chicken stock, 3 large tarragon sprigs, and cracked pepper in a small pot. Bring to a boil and reduce by one third.
•Remove tarragon sprigs from reduction. Add egg yolks to a small bowl and slowly whisk in half the reduction, then return to the small pot, whisking over low heat for 1-2 minutes until it thickens.
•Slowly whisk in lemon juice and add chopped tarragon. Check consistency (should coat a spoon), season to taste with salt & pepper, turn off heat and leave covered in a warm place.
Friday, Feb 24, 2012