Convert this quick cut-shot filled video to an actual recipe

October 28, 2012 7:03 PM

I absolutely love this recipe by Gordon Ramsay but need to know the actual proportions to use, a good side-dish, an alternative to brill and a wine recommendation (both to use for cooking and to pair with the dish)
posted by Lucubrator to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

For cooking wine, a cheap bargain Merlot should do the trick. For the fish, any flatfish will do, such as flounder or plaice. Obviously, you're going to want to get a fish that big enough so that it will be easier to fillet.

As for proportions, it's all to taste, isn't it?
posted by KokuRyu at 7:15 PM on October 28, 2012

Best answer: The point is that you really don't need specific proportions. It will work out with anything reasonable. Ask wherever you get your fish for turbot, Greenland halibut, or anything similar that is available to you - pretty much any reasonably firm flatfish would be fine (so probably not sole). Use a red wine without too much oak or astringency. Cheap is good, you'll use a fair bit to poach. A couple cloves of garlic. You just need enough wine to cover the fish. Olive oil doesn't really matter, a tablespoon or two.

Use one or two shallots, a big pinch of sugar, a splash of vinegar, and the video tells you to use 50g of butter (about 4 tablespoons). Salt to taste, always.
posted by ssg at 7:27 PM on October 28, 2012

And this would be nice with mashed potatoes or another side that could soak up the excess sauce (crusty bread, other mashed root vegetable, thin slices of potato roasted with a little olive oil).

Roasted vegetables on the side, something seasonal, perhaps brussels sprouts (halved, roasted cut side down), beets, or carrots.
posted by ssg at 7:39 PM on October 28, 2012

Best answer: Also, this looks to be a variation on the same recipe by Ramsey.
posted by ssg at 7:42 PM on October 28, 2012

ssg -- that's almost certainly it-- Ramsey has so many cooking shows that I've found he makes some of the same dishes in multiple shows.

Also, that recipe calls for "double cream," which is 42% fat and you can't get that in the US except in some boutique dairy markets and import stores. Best we can do is heavy cream, which is around 36%. It shouldn't hurt the recipe, though.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:47 PM on October 28, 2012

Best answer: Based on the Video:

- 400 g of Fillets of some type of flat fish, Brill, Sole, Plaice
- 500ml of Red Wine (or enough to fully cover the Fish Fillets in your pan.
- 3-4 sprigs of Thyme
- 5-6 Shallots chopped roughly
- Sea Salt, Pepper
- 1-2 garlic cloves (whole)
- 1 bay leaf
- Extra Virgin Olive Oilv- 2 tbsp
- 100 g of Butter. (50 g for Shallots, 50g for the sauce)
- a pinch of sugar
- Raspberry Vinegar? 50ml?

Instructions as per video.

The cooking time for the fish is probably 10 mins poaching. - in just simmering red wine. I woudl bring the poaching wine to the boil before adding the fish I think. - cook off a bit of the alcohol before you add the fish - then turn the heat down.

about a third to half of the poaching wine seems to be used for the sauce - the rest is discarded.

Shallots cook in butter for 10 -15 mins until soft and browning. Add sugar and Vinegar. cook for 1-2 minutes then add the 1/3 of the poaching liquid.
posted by mary8nne at 2:07 AM on October 29, 2012

Response by poster: These are great. Thanks all! Just one more question, what wine would I pair this dish with? Does the classic white wine with fish still hold when it is cooked in red wine?
posted by Lucubrator at 11:53 AM on October 29, 2012

Usually foods cooked in red wine are served with red wine. I would definitely serve this dish with red wine, either the same one I used for cooking or a better red if I opted to cook with something inexpensive.
posted by shoesietart at 12:51 PM on October 29, 2012