Sole Vin Blanc

"To give this classic dish a modern twist, I do not make a traditional velouté, a roux-thickened fish fumet or stock, for the sauce. Instead, I just poach the fish in wine and fish stock and add fresh butter at the end.

"The best sole for this recipe would be real Dover sole (the market can fillet it for you), but since it is not always available and it is expensive, you can substitute fluke or another sole." --Jacques Pépin

Recipe: Sole Vin Blanc

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Fish Stock

Reserved fish bones and skin (from below)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 fresh thyme sprig
3/4 cup fruity dry white wine
2 cups water

Fish and Sauce

1 fluke or other sole (about 2 pounds), gutted, boned, cut into 4 fillets, and skin removed; bones and skin reserved
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/3 cup dry white wine
Reserved 1/2 cup fish stock (from above)
1/3 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

For the Stock

Put the fish bones and skin into a large saucepan and add the remaining stock ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, then stir well and boil over medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes.
Strain the stock (you should have about 1 1/2 cups stock). Set aside 1/2 cup of the stock for the sauce and freeze the remaining cup to use in a soup or sauce. (When cold, the fish stock will be like aspic because of the gelatin in the fish bones.)

For the Fish

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.
Fold each fluke fillet into thirds, with the whiter side on the outside. The bundles should be about 2 inches thick. Place the bundles in one layer in a saucepan and add the shallots, wine, reserved fish stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and boil gently for about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the fish bundles over, cover again, and cook for an additional 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the fish to an ovenproof plate and keep warm in the oven.