Flounder Poached in Broth
Thin fish fillet can be tricky to prepare, mostly because they fall apart the instant they’re overcooked. But the fact that quarter-inch-thick fillets of flounder, sole, and other flatfish take so little time to cook can be an advantage. By poaching them in barely hot liquid, you slow the cooking and gain control. By flavoring the liquid first with a quick-cooking aromatic vegetable, you create a dish that needs only bread or rice to become a meal. Unlike with broiling or sautéing, the fish never dries out. The traditional liquid for poaching fish is court bouillon, a stock made from scratch using fish bones, onions, carrots, and celery enhanced with white wine and herbs. Assuming you don’t have any court bouillon on hand—and who does?—my poaching liquid of choice is chicken stock, and the canned variety is fine, because you’re going to add flavor to it, and quickly, in the form of leeks and fish.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the stock in a large skillet that can be covered and turn the heat to high. Let it boil and reduce by about half while you prepare the leeks. Trim the leeks of the root and green end; cut the white part in half the long way and rinse thoroughly. Chop each half into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick semicircles, adding them to the boiling broth as you cut them.
Step 2
When all the leeks are added, cook for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir, then add the fish. Cover and turn off the heat or keep the heat at an absolute minimum. Uncover and check the fish after 3 minutes; it is done when a thin-bladed knife encounters no resistance. Continue to check every minute until the fish is done.
Step 3
Serve the fish with the leeks and some broth spooned over it; top all with a sprinkling of coarse salt.
Variations
Step 4
Use any aromatic vegetable you like in place of the leeks, alone or in combination: shallots, onions, scallions, garlic, celery, or carrots (cut carrots into very small pieces or shred them on a grater or in a food processor so they’ll cook quickly).
Step 5
Add fresh herbs, especially parsley, chervil, or dill, alone or in combination.
Step 6
Add spices, alone or in combination. For example, for a North African–style dish, use a few coriander seeds, a small piece of cinnamon, and a little cumin. Or add a couple of teaspoons of curry powder to the broth.
Step 7
You can also use this technique for thicker fillets, like red snapper, sea bass, or cod. After you cover the skillet, keep the heat on low and, after about 6 minutes, check the fish every minute. When a thin-bladed knife encounters no resistance, the fish is done; when it begins to flake, it’s overdone—but only slightly, and it will still be juicy.
