Loup De Mer Recipes

POACHED WHOLE LOUP DE MER

Steps:

• To make the poaching liquid, combine the celery, carrot, onion, fennel, tomato, water, wine, vinegar, garlic, coriander, fennel, salt, pepper and star anise in a large stockpot and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a fish poacher and heat to boiling.
• Place the whole fish in the hot poaching liquid. Make sure the liquid covers the fish. If there is not enough liquid, add water. Lower the heat to simmering and poach the fish about 20 minutes for a large fish and 13 to 15 minutes for smaller fish.
• Test the fish for doneness by inserting a metal skewer into the thickest part of the fish. Leave the skewer in for 5 seconds, then remove it and place it on the inside of your wrist. The skewer should be warm if the fish is done. Remove the fish from the poaching liquid and place on a cutting board. Remove the skin and any scales that stay behind. Serve immediately.

LOUP DE MER SEARED WITH SWEET POTATO, FIGS, AND JAMON IBERICO

Steps:

• Poach the dried figs: Place port in a small saucepan over medium heat; reduce to 1 cup. Add star anise, thyme, and black peppercorns; remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes to infuse. Strain into a medium bowl; discard spices. Add figs to port reduction and let stand until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Heat chicken stock in a medium skillet over medium heat. Drain figs and add to skillet along with butter and cook until figs are glazed, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Roast the figs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place sugar in a shallow dish. Press cut sides of figs into sugar. Heat canola oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over high heat. Using a paper towel, blot any excess oil from skillet. Place figs in skillet, cut-side down; cook until sugar caramelizes, about 1 minute. Turn figs and transfer skillet to oven. Roast for 1 minute.
• Roast the white mushrooms: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place mushrooms in skillet, cut-side down, and cook for 1 minute. Add butter, thyme, and salt to skillet; cook until butter is melted. Continue cooking, basting mushrooms with melted butter, until mushrooms are tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Make the fig jus: Heat canola oil in a large, straight-sided skillet over high heat. Add bones and sear until golden on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bones from pan and set aside. Drain excess oil from skillet and discard.
• Place skillet over medium heat; add figs, star anise, shallots, and guanciale; cook, stirring, until shallots are translucent and fat is rendered from guanciale, 4 to 5 minutes. Add vinegar to skillet to deglaze. Return bones to skillet along with chicken jus; bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and season with salt.
• Make the loup de mer: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Season fish with salt and place skin-side down in skillet, making sure skillet is hot or fish will stick. Reduce heat to medium-low and press fillets down with a metal spatula to keep flat as they begin to curl; let cook until skin is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn fillets and cook until flesh side is just warmed, 2 to 3 seconds. Transfer fish to a rack, skin-side up.
• Serve: Drizzle raw mushroom slices with olive oil; set aside. Spoon 2 tablespoons sweet potato puree onto a plate and pull down center with a small spoon. Place 2 fish fillets in center of plate. Arrange 4 roasted fig halves, 2 glazed poached dried figs, 4 pickled porcini mushroom slices, 4 roasted porcini mushroom halves, 2 raw mushroom slices, and 2 slices Iberico ham around fish. Finish plate with fig jus and garnish with 4 lamb's-quarter leaves. Repeat three more times with remaining ingredients.

LOUP DE MER EN PAPILLOTE (BAKED SEA BASS WRAPPED IN PAPER)

Steps:

• Preheat oven (390° F, 200° C).
• Pepare a parchment paper large enough to wrap the fish. Spread a little of the olive oil where you will put the fish on.
• Crush the black peppercorns a little in a mortar and pestal, but it should be coarse though.
• Remove from one rosemary sprig, the leaves. You can chop them, but I prefer to leave the small leaves as they are.
• Clean the fish and brush both sides with olive oil. Salt to taste (inside and outside).
• Put 2 sprigs of rosemary into the cavity and also add a small piece of butter. If you like, put 2 slices of lemon into the cavity too.
• Sprinkle a little of black pepper and rosemary leaves onto the parchment paper and then place the fish on it.
• Cover the fish with the rest of black pepper and the rosemary leaves.
• Squash the garlic cloves (do not peel them) and place them on top of fish. Cut the butter into small pieces and arrange on top of fish too.
• Wrap the parchment paper around the fish to make a package. Fold over the edges to seal the package.
• Brush a little of the olive oil over the paper. This will protect it from burning.
• Put the package on a baking tray and bake for about 25 minutes.
• Serve the fish hot in the package.
• NOTE: use smaller fish for this recipe.