Raymond Blanc's pollock fillet grenobloise recipe

Raymond Blanc
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We have fished our cod to near extinction and whilst stocks are hopefully replenishing, it is lovely to have a fish like pollock. Although not as sumptuous as cod, it has a great texture and big flavour and is underrated, in my view. After all, it is a member of the cod family. Cooked in homes all over France, this recipe is part of the classic French repertoire. The method of pan-frying lends itself to other round fish, including salmon, cod, hake and mullet.

Great served on pomme purée and croutons.

To make the pomme purée

Ingredients

1kg Desirée, Belle de Fontenay or Estima potatoes

170–200ml whole milk, warmed

70g unsalted butter, melted

2 pinches of sea salt

2 pinches of freshly, finely ground white pepper

Step-by-step

To cook the potatoes for the pomme purée Peel and quarter the potatoes, cutting them into even-sized pieces. Place in a large saucepan, add enough cold water to cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat so that the water is gently simmering and cook for 25–30 minutes3 until the potatoes are soft.

To finish the purée Tip the cooked potatoes into a colander to drain and leave for 2–3 minutes to allow excess steam to escape. Pass the potato through a mouli or fine potato masher and return to the saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in 170ml warm milk and then stir in the melted butter and seasoning. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. If the purée is too firm, thin it down with a little more milk. You know you have the perfect purée when it is fluffy, forms firm peaks and melts in your mouth. Keep warm over a pan of simmering water.

Recipe variations:

You can replace the water with brown chicken stock to give more depth of flavour to the sauce.

Flavour the potato purée with crushed garlic, freshly grated nutmeg, olive oil, freshly grated horseradish, mustard or any chopped herbs you like.

Special equipment: ovenproof frying pan

Chefs tips:

1 Choosing the right potatoes is important: too waxy or too starchy and they won’t purée very well; too watery and they will be tasteless. Get to know your potatoes and which varieties are best for different cooking purposes. You also need to appreciate that storage alters potato characteristics, so be prepared to change to a different variety every few months.

2 To make the croûtons, cut crustless white bread into 1cm cubes, toss in melted unsalted butter or olive oil and scatter on a baking tray. Toast in a preheated oven at 200°C/Gas 6 for 5–6 minutes.

3 Do not boil the potatoes rapidly or they may overcook and absorb excessive water, making a watery purée.

4 The success of this dish lies in the understanding of the simple technique of pan-frying and regulating the temperature to achieve the right degree of heat. The butter will start to foam at about 130°C. At about 150–155°C it will go hazelnut colour. This is the perfect stage to caramelise the fish without drying it. If the butter becomes too hot, it will burn and the fish will dry out. However, if the butter isn’t hot enough, the fish won’t brown and it will stew in its own juices. At this stage, if the temperature is right, the smells are invading your kitchen. And while the fish proteins are browning, the juices are seeping out and collecting at the bottom of the pan – begging for a splash of water to create a heavenly jus.

5 Simply adding water to the pan the fish has been cooked in can create a most exciting jus, as it dilutes the caramelised juices at the bottom of the pan.

6 Often people discard the skin, but to me this is the best part, and the most nutritious as it is where the essential omega fatty acids are concentrated.

Ingredients

4 Pollock fillets (skin on), each 180g and 3cm thick
4 Pinches of sea salt
2 Pinches of freshly ground white pepper
40 g Unsalted butter

The sauce

50 ml Water
0.5 Lemon, peeled and segments cut free from the membrane, juice reserved
2 tbsp Capers, washed and drained
30 g Shallot, peeled and finely chopped
10 g Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Details

Cuisine: French
Recipe Type: Main
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Step-by-step

To cook the fish Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Pat the pollock fillets dry and season the flesh side with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, melt the butter and heat until foaming, then add the fish fillets flesh side down and colour for 5-6 minutes. With the aid of a fish slice, carefully turn the fillets onto the skin side and cook for a further 1 minute.
Now place the pan in the hot oven for 4-5 minutes. Take out the pan and place back on a high heat for 1 minute. Carefully transfer the fish fillets from the frying pan to a warm serving dish.
To make the sauce Add the water to the hot pan and stir so that the caramelised juices dissolve and emulsify into the liquid as it boils. Add the lemon segments and juice to the frying pan with the capers, shallot and parsley. Bring back to the boil, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.
To serve Spoon the pomme purée onto warmed plates and place the fish on top. Pour the sauce on and around the fish, scatter over the hot croûtons and serve.