Fish Filets Poached in White Wine with Mushrooms
Bercy is the simplest of the white-wine fish sauces. The poaching liquid is thickened with beurre manié—a flour and butter paste—then enriched with cream. This combination of fish, mushrooms, and cream sauce is an informal version of sole bonne femme. Serve with it a white Burgundy, Graves, or Traminer.
Servings
6
Servings
6
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Toss the mushrooms in hot butter over moderately high heat for a minute or two without browning. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
  2. Arrange the seasoned filets in a buttered baking dish as described in the master recipe. Spread the mushrooms over them. Pour in the liquids, and poach the fish. Then drain the poaching liquid into the saucepan. Preheat broiler.
  3. Rapidly boil down the poaching liquid until it has reduced to 1 cup.
  4. Off heat, beat the flour and butter paste into the hot liquid, then ½ cup of the cream. Bring to the boil. Thin out the sauce with additional tablespoons of cream until it coats the spoon nicely. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and drops of lemon juice.
  5. Spoon the sauce over the fish. Sprinkle on the cheese, and dot with butter. Place dish 6 to 7 inches from a hot broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to reheat fish and brown top of sauce lightly. Serve as soon as possible.
  6. (*) Dish may be prepared ahead and reheated as follows: After sprinkling on the cheese and butter, set aside. Before serving, reheat just to the simmer on top of the stove, then run for a minute or two under a hot broiler to brown the top of the sauce.