Sole Meunière

I am not a big fan of French Cuisine.   Primarily because, I am not a fan of braised protein or any beef or pork protein that is cooked over 130 degrees. While I understand the French Cuisine covers other types of cooking methods, I need to be cautious about which French recipes I eat.  All that said, one of the most iconic French dishes is Sole Meunière.  Jeff Mauro, the co-host of The Kitchen cooked his Sole Meunière recipe. Jeff’s version follows the classic recipes of French cooks.  So, here is his recipe, which is a perfect example of this most delicious dish.  Bon Appetit.

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup All-Purpose Butter
• 4 TB Clarified butter
• Four 2 to 2-½ ounce skinless, bonelss Sole Fillets, preferably petrale sole
• Kosher Salt and Pepper
• 3 TB unsalted European-style butter
• 1 TB Capers
• Jiuce of ½ Lemon
• 2 Teaspoons minced Parsley

Procedure

• In a small bowl, soak the capers in cold water for 45 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• Season the sole fillets with salt and pepper.  In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Dredge the fillets in flour and shake off any excess; transfer to a platter.
• In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons (TB) of the "clarified butter" (clarified butter is butter that has been melted and the milk solids skimmed off the top) over moderately high heat.  Add the sole fillets to the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden grown on both sides, about 4 minutes total.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Repeat with the remaining clarified butter and sole fillets.
• Add the eropean Butter and Capers to the skillet and cook over moderately heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the lemon juice and cook over moderately high heat until reduced to 2 TB, about 1 minute.  
• Add half of the parsley.  Pour the warm sauce over the sole and garnish with the remaining parsley.  
• Serve immediately.

Josh Capon Recipes for Steak Side Dishes

Here are two side dishes from the recipes of Josh Capon, executive chef and partner behind Lure Fishbar, B&B Winepub and El Toro Blanco in New York City.  Enjoy.

Fondant Potatoes
Ingredients

• 4 Potatoes
• Kosher Salt and Pepper
• Canola or Olive Oil, for searing the potatoes
• About 4 cups of Vegetable, Chicken or Beef stock
• 2 stickes of Butter
• 8 cloves of Garlic
• 4 sprigs fresh Rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh Sage
• 4 sprigs fresh Thyme
• Sea salt, for serving
• Chopped Chives, for garnish

Procedure

• Peel and cut the potatoes into the size and shape of a soap dish, Season with salt and pepper.
• Set a saucepan over medium-high heat and add some oil.  Sear the potatoes in the hot pan on both sides until golden grown.  Add the stock until it just covers the potatoes, then add the butter, garlic, sage, rosemary and thyme.
• Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are golden and gender, 30-40 minutes.  Hold in the cooking liquid until ready to serve, the longer they hold the better.  But, keep them warm in a very low oven or on top of the stove covered.
• Slice potatoes on a bias and serve sprinkled with a little sea salt and chopped chives. 

Sour Cream and Onion Hash Browns

Ingredients

• 1 TB canola oil
• 2 White onions, thinkly slices
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 8 Idaho potatoes, peeled and shredded
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chopped scallions

Procedure

• Special equipment: individual-size- cast-iron pans.
• Heat a skillet over medium hear and add teh canola oil. Add the onions, season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, season the potatoes with salt and pepper and let sie for 5 minutes.  Drain out the excess moisture.
• Set individual cast-iron pans over medium heat until very hot.  Add some olive oil to each pan and a handful of potatoes (very lightly packed).  Cook until golden grown and crispy, about 5 minutes.  Flip and add more oil if necessary.  Cook until golden brown on a second side and cooked through.  Repeat with the remaining potatoes. 
• Top each hash brown with some caramelized onions and abd a dollop of sour cream and chopped scallions. 

Some Ideas from the April 2016 Edition of Bon Appétit

DB Brassierie Recipe For Wedge Salad
Ingredients

• 1 Cup Walnuts
• 4 Slices Bacon
• 8 ox. Blue Cheese, crumbled, divided
• ½ Cup Crème Fraîche or Sour Cream
• ½ Cup Mayonnaise
• 5 Teaspoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 2 Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 head Icebery Lettuce, cut crosswise into four 1" thick slices
• 2 Celery Stalks, thinkly splced
• 1 pint Cherry Tomatores, quartereed
• 1 TB finely chopped Tarragon

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 350, toast walnuts tossing once until golden brown, 8-10 minutes, coarsely chop
• Cook bacon until brown and crisp 8-10 minutes total.  transfer to towel to drain, cumble.
• Place half of Blue Cheese in a medium heatproof bowl andmicrowave on medium until melted, about 1 minute.
• Add creme fraiche, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice and not souce to blue cheese, whiskk until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste, chill until coldm at least 30 minutes.
• Place 1 slice of icebery lettuce on each plate, and spoon about ¼ cup dressing over each piece.  Top with walnuts, bacon celery,  tomatoes, tarragon, and remaining blue cheese.

Brown Butter-Fried Onion Rings
Ingredients

• 1 Cup Buttermilk
• 1 Cup Flour
• Salt and Pepper to taste mixed into flour
• 1 Large Red Onion sliced into ¼ inch thick rings
• 1 Stick unsalted Butter

Procedure

• Place buttermilk in a medium bowl.
• Place flour in another bowl, season with salt and pepper
• Working in batches, toss onion rings in flour, brench into buttermilk and retoss in flour.
• Heat half stick of butter in a large skillet and cook until brown and foaming.
• Put half the onion rings in the skillet and cook until golden brown, drain on paper towel.
• Add remaining butter and cook remaining rings.
• Serve