Paillard of Fresh Fish with Salsa Beurre Blanc
Submitted by maewestland
Paillard of fresh fish with salsa beurre blanc: firm fish pounded ultra-thin, broiled 2 minutes, and topped with a French butter sauce spiked with salsa fresca. Ready in 20 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
20 minA paillard is French technique slang for meat or fish pounded very thin. The result cooks in a flash and picks up an outsized amount of flavor from whatever sauce goes over it. This version uses firm-fleshed fish steaks (marlin, tuna, swordfish, or salmon all work) pounded to an eighth of an inch thick and broiled for exactly two minutes.
The trick with a good paillard starts in the freezer. Partially freeze the fish so it firms up enough to slice cleanly across the grain at half an inch. Then pound with a meat mallet or the side of a rolling pin between two sheets of plastic wrap until the fillet is whisper-thin.
The sauce is a French-Latin hybrid. A classic beurre blanc reduction of white wine, white wine vinegar, and minced shallot cooks down to just 2 tablespoons, then cold butter whisks in bit by bit off the heat to form the silky emulsion. A third of a cup of salsa fresca stirs in at the end for a cross-cultural punch. Broil the fish paillards four inches from the element for two minutes, plate, spoon the sauce over, and eat immediately.
Chef Tips
- Partially freeze the fish for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Fully thawed fish tears; fully frozen fish resists the knife.
- Whisk the butter into the reduction off the heat, bit by bit. Too much heat breaks the emulsion and the sauce separates into oil and solids.
- Keep the finished sauce warm over hot (not boiling) water. Direct heat re-melts the butter into plain butter, ruining the creamy texture.
- Broil 4 inches from the element for exactly 2 minutes. Thin paillards go from rare to overcooked in under 30 seconds once they hit heat.
Variations
- With avocado salsa: Skip the beurre blanc entirely and top with a chunky avocado salsa for a lighter, dairy-free version (as the original recipe suggests).
- Chicken paillards: Use pounded chicken breast in place of fish; extend broiler time to 3 to 4 minutes.
- Herb butter swap: Replace the salsa with 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon or chives for a more classical French finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Partially freeze the fish and slice it across the grain about ½- inch thick.
Pound with a mallet, meat pounder, or rolling pin to an even thickness of about ⅛ inch.
Combine the wine, vinegar, and shallots in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil and reduce to 2 tablespoons of liquid.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter bit by bit.
Add the salsa and heat slightly.
Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Keep warm in a water bath if not served right away.
Place the fish paillards on a cookie sheet with sides that can go under a broiler.
Broil about 4 inches from the heat for 2 minutes.
Transfer to warm plates and serve immediately, topped with the sauce.
Notes: Beurre blanc sauces cannot be reheated too much or the butter simply melts and does not retain its creamy texture.
A bath of hot (not boiling) water is best for keeping the sauce at serving temperature.
A paillard is something pounded very thin.
In this case it is fish.
You can also make paillards out of chicken breasts.
VARIATION: Omit the beurre blanc and serve the paillards with Avocado Salsa.
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