Redfish Herbsaint
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 fillets of flaky Gulf fish, about 6 oz. each
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into matchsticks (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 rib celery, strings removed and sliced into matchsticks (about 1/2 cup)
- 6 black peppercorns
- 2 leeks, white part only, well washed and sliced into matchsticks (about 2 cups)
- 4 Tbs. butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 Tbs. Herbsaint (or Pernod)
- 1/2 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup lump crabmeat
Instructions
- 1
In a stainless-steel skillet, bring one cup of the wine and all of the lemon juice to just barely a simmer over low heat. Add the fish, carrots, celery, and peppercorns and poach for 8-10 minutes. Check it after five minutes to see that it doesn't overcook (the fish should not fall apart into flakes when done).
- 2
While the fish is poaching, sauté the leeks in 1 Tbs. butter until they turn soft--about three minutes. Add the remaining wine and bring to a boil. Cook for another minute, then turn off the heat.
- 3
Remove the fish when done to a warm plate. To the poaching liquid in the skillet add the remaining butter, cream, Herbsaint, salt and pepper. Over a medium fire reduce it for about five minutes, until the mixture thickens.
- 4
Add the crabmeat and cook, agitating the pan lightly, until the crabmeat is cooked through.
- 5
Place the leeks on the serving plate, put the fish with the celery and carrots atop that, and top with the sauce.