Experience the elegance of classic French cuisine with Matelote, a delightful fish stew based on the traditional Escoffier recipe. This dish features sea bass fillets poached to perfection in a robust red wine broth, paired with sautéed mushrooms, glazed pearl onions, and crispy salt pork. Served over garlic toast points, this recipe marries the bold flavors of wine and aromatics that will transport your taste buds to a quaint French bistro.
Ingredients
🐟 3 ½ pounds Sea bass fillets
🧅 2 small onions, sliced julienne
🧄 5 garlic cloves for poaching liquid and bouquet garni
🌿 1 Bouquet garni with parsley stems, bay leaf, thyme, 1 garlic clove, peppercorns
🌶 4 peppercorns for poaching liquid, extra for seasoning
🥃 ½ cup brandy for flambéing
🍷 1 liter red wine, recommended: Pinot Noir or Merlot
🧈 3 ½ oz butter for beurre manié, additional for sautéing and glazing
🌾 2 oz all-purpose flour for beurre manié
🥓 1 pound salt pork or bacon, diced
🍄 1 pound button mushrooms, fluted
🧅 1 pound pearl onions
🧂 8 g salt for poaching, plus extra for seasoning
🍯 Honey as needed for glazing
🫒 Oil as needed for garlic toast points
🥖 Bread sliced into points for garlic toast
Instructions
1- Prepare Bouquet Garni:
- Wrap parsley stems, bay leaf, thyme, 1 garlic clove, and a few peppercorns in cheesecloth. Tie tightly with kitchen twine.
2- Poach the Fish:
- Arrange sea bass fillets in a shallow pan. Add sliced onions, bouquet garni, 4 garlic cloves, salt, and 4 peppercorns.
- Pour red wine over the fish until it is just covered. Bring to a boil.
- Add brandy and carefully ignite to flambé. Once the flames dissipate, cover the pan and gently poach until the fish is cooked through.
3- Sauté Mushrooms:
- In a non-stick sauté pan, melt butter on medium heat.
- Add fluted mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and flambé with a splash of brandy. Cook until browned and tender.
4- Prepare Sauce:
- Remove the fish and set aside. Strain the poaching liquid into a clean saucepan.
- Gradually whisk in beurre manié to thicken the sauce. Cook until thick and glossy.
5- Garnishes:
- Glazed Pearl Onions: Sauté pearl onions in butter and honey until they are tender and caramelized.
- Rendered Salt Pork: Render diced salt pork in a pan until crispy.
- Garlic Toast Points: Sauté bread slices in oil and garlic until golden and crisp.
6- Assemble & Serve:
- Arrange garlic toast points and glazed onions on a serving plate.
- Lay poached sea bass fillets atop the garnishes.
- Generously ladle red wine sauce over the fish, and sprinkle with crispy salt pork.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: Approximately 450 kcal per serving
Proteins: 38g
Fats: 18g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Equipment:
- Cutting board
- Chef's knife
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen twine
- Sauce pan
- Non-stick sauté pan
- Tongs
- Whisk
- Fine mesh strainer
- Ladle
- Serving plate
Cooking Tips:
- Ensure that the bouquet garni is tied tightly to prevent herbs from dispersing.
- Flambé safely by keeping a lid close by to smother flames if necessary.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by varying the quantity of beurre manié added.
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Matelote
