FAST AND EASY PLATE COOKED FISH PAILLARD WITH GINGER, GARLIC, AND TOMATOES

Fast and Easy Plate Cooked Fish Paillard with Ginger, Garlic, and Tomatoes image

What the black bean cake did for the Santa Fe Bar and Grill in Berkeley, this paillard of fish did for Stars in San Francisco. I developed it with the same purpose: to present, at the opening of a restaurant, a fast, new, easily cooked, foolproof, and easily understood dish. With a little advance chopping and slicing, you can serve this winning dish in five minutes. Use sturgeon and garnish the center of the cooked fish with a tablespoon of spiced crabmeat, cooked fish in green goddess mayonnaise, or preserved tuna in sour cream mixed with ancho chili puree. Or use radish salad as on the sea bass. And spoon over the fish your choice of a flavored cream from a puree of chipotle, mixed herbs, or a ginger puree. Or cut open an avocado, dice it, add a teaspoon of cumin and 2 tablespoons lime juice, and put that in the center of the cooked fish.

Provided by Food Network

Time 10m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

4 (2-ounce) slices boneless and skinless fillet of salmon, tuna, halibut, grouper, red snapper, sturgeon, sea bass, or albacore, no thicker than 1/4 inch
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup fish stock, recipe follows
1 (2-ounce) piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup chopped tomatoes
12 sprigs fresh cilantro
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 pounds fish carcasses
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaves
2 sprigs fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh tarragon or chervil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 gallon water
1 cup dry white wine

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. or preheat the broiler.
Pound the fish slices until they are evenly 1/8-inch thick.
Put 4 heat resistant plates in the oven or under the broiler until hot. Remove and brush each 1 with 1/2 teaspoon of the butter.
Season the paillards of fish with salt and pepper and put 1 on each plate. Mix the fish stock, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes in a saute pan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Whisk the remaining butter into the sauce and pour it over the fish.
By the time you garnish the plates with the cilantro, the fish will be done.
Wash the fish carcasses, removing the gills from the heads, and, under running water, scrape away any blood from the backbone.
Put the celery, onion, herbs, and salt in a pot. Add 1 cup of the water, cover, and sweat the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes. Do not let any browning occur.
Add the fish carcasses and remaining water. Bring to a boil over high heat. The moment it boils, lower the heat to a bare simmer. Stir the bones around very gently for a few seconds so that any coagulated albumin trapped at the bottom will rise to the surface. Skim off any scum, avoiding floating vegetables or herbs. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Add the wine, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then carefully ladle all the stock into a fine strainer set over a container. Do not press down on any fish in the strainer. Put the last of the stock into the strainer and discard the debris. Immediately refrigerate the stock uncovered. When cold, cover and keep refrigerated or frozen until needed.