Paupiettes of Fillets of Sole, Salmon, etc.

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Compact food processor with chilled bowl and blade
• •7- to 8-inch (18- to 20-cm) straight-sided sauté pan or saucepan with lid
• •Broad chef's knife for flattening
• •Parchment paper
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Small saucepan and fine-mesh strainer

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the forcemeat

   Chill the processor bowl and blade. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the diced white fish, then process the remainder with ½ teaspoon of the salt until smooth and tacky. Add the egg white and pulse just until absorbed. With the machine running in short bursts, add the ¼ cup of cold cream gradually; stop as soon as the forcemeat is smooth, firm enough to hold a ridge, and still thoroughly cold. Fold in the truffle, if using, and half the white pepper. Poach a teaspoonful in barely trembling water and taste it, then correct the seasoning. Cover and keep cold.

   If the forcemeat becomes shiny, loose, or grainy, it has warmed and the emulsion is failing. Stop immediately. Ça se rattrape: chill everything for 10 minutes, process the reserved fish until tacky in the cold bowl, then add the loose mixture back one spoonful at a time. Never add flour; cold and patience preserve the proper texture.
2. 2

   Prepare the fillets

   Lay the sole fillets former skin side up. Remove any thin nervous film without gouging the flesh, trim both long edges neatly, and stroke each fillet gently beneath the broad, flat blade of a knife until its thickness is even. For salmon, cut eight slices two-thirds inch wide, one-half inch thick, and about the length of a sole fillet. Flatten each salmon slice carefully between sheets of parchment until it has the width and thickness of sole. Press rather than pound, because salmon breaks before it complains.

3. 3

   Form the scrolls

   Set each fillet former skin side up and spread it with a thin, even layer of cold forcemeat, about one-eighth inch thick, leaving a narrow border bare. Roll from the narrow end into a compact scroll without squeezing out the filling. Stand the paupiette on one end and smooth any forcemeat projecting from the top. If a fillet develops a small tear, cover it with a scrap from the trimming and chill the roll for 10 minutes. It will hold once poached.

4. 4

   Pack the pan

   Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Butter a 7- to 8-inch straight-sided sauté pan or saucepan. Stand the paupiettes upright and snugly together, turning each seam toward its neighbor so the rolls support one another without being crushed. Pour in enough gently warmed White Fish Stock (No. 11) to cover them completely, keeping the reserved ¼ cup cold. Lay a buttered parchment round directly over the surface and cover the pan.

5. 5

   Poach without boiling

   Transfer the pan to the oven and poach for 15 to 20 minutes, checking after 12. The fumet should remain quiet, with only a slight movement at the edge, and the centers should reach 145°F (63°C). If bubbles begin breaking the surface, lift the pan from the oven immediately, add a spoonful or two of the reserved cold White Fish Stock (No. 11), and lower the oven to 300°F (150°C). Ça se rattrape. Return the pan only when the liquor has settled.

   Do not judge by time alone. A finished paupiette feels resilient under a spoon, the outer fish is opaque, and the forcemeat at the center is set but still moist.
6. 6

   Finish the sauce

   Lift the paupiettes carefully to a warm plate, keeping them upright, and cover loosely. Strain 1 cup of the poaching liquor into a small saucepan and reduce it briskly to about ⅓ cup. Add all but the reserved tablespoon of sauce cream and reduce gently until it reaches nappé, a light coating consistency that leaves a clear trail on the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cold diced butter a few pieces at a time. Season with the remaining salt and white pepper. If the sauce separates, stop adding butter and whisk in the reserved cold cream. Once smooth, continue with the remaining butter off the heat.

7. 7

   Serve the paupiettes

   Arrange two paupiettes upright on each warmed plate, or bring all eight to the table on a warm oval platter. Spoon the glossy sauce around their bases rather than burying the spiral tops. Serve immediately, while the fish is tender and the butter emulsion still gleams. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask the fishmonger for evenly sized skinless sole fillets and explain that they will be rolled. A modest fillet handled gently gives a better paupiette than costly fish bruised beneath a mallet. Technique first, always.
• •For salmon, preserve the book's shape: cut long slices two-thirds inch wide and one-half inch thick, then flatten them carefully to resemble sole fillets. Use the center of the fillet, where the grain is even and the flesh holds together.
• •The fumet should taste clean and lightly seasoned before the fish enters it. A narrow pan matters because less liquid is needed to cover the upright rolls, and the close fit keeps their scroll shape intact.
• •Black truffle is optional, not ceremonial. Good preserved truffle is an honest choice when fresh is poor or unavailable; otherwise make the forcemeat plain and let the sole and fumet speak.
• •Serve with buttered spinach or plain rice to catch the sauce. A mineral Chablis or another restrained white Burgundy suits the delicate fish without flattening it.

Advance Preparation

• •White Fish Stock (No. 11) can be prepared ahead and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen in measured portions. Warm only the amount required for poaching and keep ¼ cup cold for controlling the heat.
• •The forcemeat can be made up to 4 hours ahead and held covered in the cold. Keep it below 40°F (4°C), because both its texture and its safety depend on proper chilling.
• •The paupiettes may be formed up to 2 hours before cooking. Arrange them upright in the buttered pan, cover, and refrigerate; add the warm fumet only when the oven is ready.
• •The poaching liquor and cream may be reduced shortly before guests sit down. Hold that reduction gently, then whisk in the cold butter only when the paupiettes are ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)