Sole Normande Recipes

SOLE NORMANDE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the fish stock and wine to a boil; reduce heat to very low and keep stock warm.
• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Make beurre manie by combining the flour and butter together till smooth (if you choose, you may make larger amounts and keep beurre manie on hand in the fridge or freezer).
• Sprinkle the shallots over the bottom of a large non-reactive baking dish.
• Roll the fillets and place the six of them, equally spaced, in the dish.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Distribute the mussels, mushrooms, shrimp and scallops around the fillets, and pour the stock/wine combination over all.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, until the fish becomes white and flakey and the mussels open.
• Remove the fish to a warm serving platter.
• Arrange the mushrooms, shrimp, scallops and mussels on the platter, discarding any unopened mussels.
• Cover and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, strain the liquid from the baking dish into the small saucepan (straining is important, bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat for about five minutes.
• Reduce heat and whisk in two tablespoons of beurre manie until smooth.
• Simmer the sauce for 9 to 10 minutes.
• Mix the creme fraiche with the egg yolks and, removing the sauce from the heat, add the yolk mixture to the sauce, whisking all the while.
• Return to the stove and simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until the eggs have thickened the sauce--do NOT boil.
• Pour sauce over filets and serve.
• Note: If you do not have or care to make fish stock, you may substitute strained unsalted clam juice or chicken stock, unsalted.
• Note 2: If you have insufficient liquid for your sauce, add white wine and stock or wine and water to the strained liquid.

FILLET OF SOLE NORMANDIE

Steps:

• Peel, core and cut apples into rings; fry lightly in 1 ounce of the butter, and then drain.
• Coat fish with seasoned flour.
• Add the remaining butter to pan and fry the fillets for 5 minutes on each side.
• Arrange on a warmed serving dish, garnish with apple rings and keep hot.
• Add the bay leaf, clove and remaining flour to the pan and stir well.
• Gradually add the cider and lemon juice and bring to boil, stirring all the time.
• Strain the sauce over fish and serve at once.

CHICKEN NORMANDY (ESCALOPE DE POULET A LA NORMANDE)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-sear chicken breasts in the hot oil until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken breasts from the skillet.
• Add drained mushrooms to the pan juices in the skillet and cook until they start to pop, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together cream, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; pour into the skillet with the mushrooms. Return chicken breasts to the skillet and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the egg yolk from setting, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken breast should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Serve with cooked white rice.

POULET à LA NORMANDE

Steps:

• Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the fat in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Brown the chicken, in batches if necessary, skin side down until deep golden, 6 to 8 minutes, then flip, and sear the other side until golden, another 3 minutes.
• If flambéing: Make sure there is nothing flammable near or above your stove. Gently warm the Calvados in a saucepan over medium heat. When the chicken is well browned, protect your hand, and use a long kitchen match to light the liquor on fire, then carefully pour it into the chicken pan. The flame can shoot over 2 feet high, so be careful. Cook until the flame subsides. If not flambéing: Once the chicken is browned, turn off the heat, and add the Calvados. When the sizzling subsides, turn the heat on to medium low, bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
• Add the cider and onions, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer. Quickly peel and core the apples, and cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks, and place them on top of the chicken. Cover the pan, and cook, checking occasionally to ensure the liquid is maintaining a gentle simmer, not boiling, until the chicken is just cooked through, 35-40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken, onions and apples to a platter, and cover. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir this into the braising liquid, and bring to a simmer for 1 minute, until thickened. Stir in the crème fraîche, and season the sauce with salt to taste, replace the chicken, onions and apples in the sauce and serve with crusty bread and a salad.