French Classics Made Easy (12 page)

When choosing a fish to use for a mousseline, look for the freshest possible. The fresher the fish, the better the mousseline will be. Look for thick fillets from large fish, which hold their freshness longer than thin ones.

VARIATION

F
ISH
T
ERRINE

[TERRINE DE POISSON]

Follow the instructions for constructing the Home-Style Terrine with Prunes (
page 54
), using the uncooked fish mousseline in place of the ground meats. Use lightly poached salmon, lobster, or sea scallops in place of the strips of ham and chicken. Bake like the terrine in a 400°F oven until springy to the touch, about 1 hour.

MOUSSELINE RING
WITH
S
EAFOOD IN A
S
AFFRON-
T
OMATO
S
AUCE

[TURBAN DE FRUITS DE MER]

A spectacular presentation can be created by molding a fish mousseline in a ring mold. When baked and unmolded, the ring, or “turban,” is filled with seafood and topped with one of several highly refined sauces. A classic turban is made by first lining the mold with fillets of sole. I find that this adds neither contrast of texture and color nor a smoother surface to the dish. And because it is time consuming and expensive, I have eliminated that aspect of the dish.

Although I have specified the use of small shrimp and bay scallops, if sea scallops are fresher, use them along with medium-size shrimp. Oysters can be used in place of or in addition to the mussels, and Poached Mushrooms (
page 95
) can be added if desired.

If saffron is not available or not appreciated, serve the turban with Tomato-Flavored Velouté (
sauce aurore,
page 316
). The mousseline and the sauce can be prepared a day before serving.

SERVES 8 TO 10

Butter, for ring mold

Basic Fish Mousseline (
page 48
)

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 shallots, finely chopped

½ cup dry white wine

½ pound small shrimp, shelled and deveined

½ pound bay scallops Saffron Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes (
page 317
)

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack set in the lowest position. Butter a 1½-quart ring mold.

2.
Fill the mold with the mousseline and smooth the surface. Place the mold in a baking pan. Pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the mold and bake until the top is springy to the touch and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

3.
Meanwhile, place the mussels, shallots, and wine in a large saucepan. Cover and steam over high heat, shaking the pan several times to toss the mussels. The mussels will open and be cooked after about 5 minutes of steaming. Remove the mussels from their shells and set aside. Discard any that have not opened.

4.
Strain the mussel liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, discarding any sand or grit that may remain at the bottom of the pan. Boil over high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

5.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat and drop in the shrimp and scallops. When the water returns to the boil, drain the shrimp and scallops immediately and refresh under cold running water. Set aside.

6.
In a large saucepan, reheat the saffron sauce over medium heat. Add the shrimp, scallops, mussels, and reduced mussel cooking liquid to the sauce. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to simmer; do not boil.

7.
To assemble, unmold the mousseline onto a large, warmed serving platter and use paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shellfish to the center of the ring. Spoon the sauce over the shellfish and around the sides of the mousseline ring just before serving.

H
OW TO
C
LEAN
M
USSELS

Pull the beard out from between the mussel shells with paring knife and thumb as below. Rub the mussels vigorously against each other to remove any debris and at the same time cause the mussels to open slightly, releasing grit. Rinse the mussels in a large bowl of water. Remove the mussels and pour off the dirt and water. Repeat until the water is clean.

FISH MOUSSELINE
WITH A
H
IDDEN
S
CALLOP

[COQUILLES ST. - JACQUES EN SURPRISE]

A scallop buried in each ramekin-molded mousseline is the
surprise
in the French title.

The fish mousseline can be made and assembled with the poached scallops in the ramekins up to one day in advance of serving. The ramekins cook rapidly on top of the stove in a covered skillet partially filled with simmering water.

SERVES 10

Butter, for ramekins

10 sea scallops, tendons removed (see
page 30
)

Basic Fish Mousseline (
page 48
)

Beurre Blanc (
page 329
), Hollandaise Sauce (
page 326
), Tomato-Flavored Velouté (
page 316
), or Saffron Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes (
page 317
)

1.
Butter ten ¾-cup ramekins.

2.
In a medium-size saucepan of simmering water, poach the scallops for 15 seconds. Drain immediately and set aside.

3.
Divide the mousseline equally among the prepared ramekins. Bury a scallop in the center of each portion. (The recipe can be prepared a day ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate.)

4.
Place the ramekins in a large skillet with a cover. Add boiling water to come ½ inch up the sides of the ramekins. Cover and simmer over medium-high heat until the mousseline puffs and is springy to the touch at the center of each ramekin, about 10 minutes.

5.
To serve: Unmold the mousselines onto paper towels to drain off the excess moisture and place them on individual serving plates. Serve with your choice of sauce.

IN ADDITION

If you add 2 medium (¾-inch) truffles, chopped, or ¼ cup chopped chives to the mousseline, the color contrast with the hidden scallop is even more dramatic.

MOUSSELINE-STUFFED TROUT
WITH
T
WO
S
AUCES

[TRUITE FARCIE AUX DEUX SAUCES]

A fish mousseline can be used to stuff any size fish. I once sailed on the
S.S. France
and was served one of their specialties, a turbot stuffed with a lobster mousseline. Because there were 12 of us at table, they served an 18-pound turbot.

A more manageable-size fish is a brook trout. Often sold boned, the fish can be easily stuff ed and poached. Wrap the fish in plastic wrap to hold it and the stuffing together while poaching.

SERVES 4

2 small (about 1 pound each) brook trout, boned, with head and tail on

½ recipe Basic Fish Mousseline (
page 48
)

½ recipe Beurre Blanc (
page 329
)

½ recipe Watercress Beurre Blanc (
page 330
)

1.
Fill the cavity of each fish with the mousseline, smoothing with a spatula.

2.
Wrap each fish in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in a single layer in a large skillet, fish poacher, or shallow roasting pan. Pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the fish. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the mousseline is firm, 10 to 15 minutes.

3.
Unwrap and drain the fish on paper towels. Place the fish on a warmed platter. Carefully peel the skin from the exposed side of the body. For presentation, spoon the plain beurre blanc around the fish on half of the platter. Spoon the watercress beurre blanc around the other half. To serve, divide each trout crosswise in half (two people get heads, and two, the tails).

H
OW TO
S
KIN A
C
OOKED
F
ISH FOR
P
RESENTATION

Make sure you place the fish on a clean flat surface before beginning

1.
Score the fish along its back, from head to tail.

2.
Peel the skin down to the belly and remove. Leave the skin on the head intact. Carefully turn the fish and repeat on the second side.

PATES & TERRINES

I remember eating pâté often as a child. It was served on crackers or small rounds of toast as an hors d’oeuvre. It was always smooth and livery tasting. Years later, after my interest in French cooking had taken hold and I was living in France, I learned that the majority of pâtés were more of a coarse, chunky variety—sort of like meat loaf—and only those made from liver (goose, duck, chicken, and pork) were smooth.