Poached Trout in Tarragon-Cream Sauce
Baby Carrots
Sauteed Cucumber Julienne

Yesterday was Father’s Day and I wanted to prepare something special for my 83-year old Dad. Not only was everything very tasty, in terms of presentation this was probably my best effort ever. Unfortunately the battery in the camera died so I could not get a picture.

I have poached fish in champagne before and it has always turned out great, even with the cheapest bottle I can find. The sauteed Cucumber Julienne was a big hit. For julienning the cucumbers, I found that one of those Kyocera Adjustable Mandolin Slicers works great. All three receipes were adapted from an old Time-Life Great Meals In Minutes: French Regional Menus cookbook.

Poached Trout in Tarragon-Cream Sauce

4 Trout fillets with skins
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon
1 medium shallot, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
1 bottle Dry Champagne
1 Bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream

The oven is used as a warming device, so preheat the oven to 200 degrees and put a large platter (large enough to hold the fillets) and four dinner plates into the oven.

Season fillets with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallot and saute until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Pour a flute of Champagne for yourself and one for your bride, then pour the rest into the saute pan. Add the bay leave and bring the mixture to a boil.

Carefully place trout in the pan, reduce to a medium-low heat, cover and let simmer until firm (about 5 minutes). Remove the platter from the oven WITH MITTS! and place the trout on it. Cover loosly with foil and put it back in the oven to keep it warm. (And leave it there until everything else is done.)

Remove the bay leave from the poaching liquid and pour the liquid into a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to 1/4 cup or less. Add the cream, let the liquid come back to a boil. Add the tarragon and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.

Put a trout fillet on each warmed plate, spoon over some sauce, and serve.

Baby Carrots

1 pound peeled baby (fingerling) carrots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter

Bring 2 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add the carrots and cook until barely tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Transfer the carrots to a bowl of cold water to stop their cooking and set them aside.

Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Drain carrots and add them to the pan along with the dill, salt, and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. heat for 3-5 minutes until the carrots are warm.

Sauteed Cucumber Julienne

2 Cucumbers
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper

Peal cucumbers and cut off the ends. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and then again crosswise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Julienne the cucumbers into 1/4-inch thick strips.

Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the cucumbers and season to tase with salt and pepper. Cook until just warm, tossing accassionally to coat with butter.

One thing I have to say about this old cookbook: All three of these items were designed to be prepared together as a meal and the cookbook is pretty good about when and where to move from receipe-to-recipe so that everything is finished at the same time.

Tags: Fish