Recipe courtesy of
Amanda Neal
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Amanda Neal
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Loup en Croûte
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 2 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 444
- Total Fat
- 36 g
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Cholesterol
- 221 mg
- Sodium
- 516 mg
Tender, juicy fish wrapped in buttery puff pastry with a vegetable filling is picture-perfect and offers an enticing mix of flavors and textures. Add a silky wine-and-herb sauce for serving and you have a spectacular meal. Loup en croûte (sea bass in pastry) is a classic French dish introduced in the 1970s by Chef Paul Bocuse and much imitated since. The fillets of fish (or whole fish) are typically stuffed with a simple vegetable mixture like the sautéed spinach in this recipe, but the dish can also get a luxe treatment with a creamy mousse of lobster or scallops. The original dish favored a European sea bass known as loup de mer, but bronzino fillets are an excellent substitute and easy to find at fish markets. Once baked, bring the whole pastry-wrapped fish to the table to oohs and aahs and slice it into individual servings. We add a creamy French-inspired sauce Choron, a kind of tomato béarnaise, flecked with fresh tarragon and chervil for a perfect balance of flavors.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 2 hr 15 min
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 444
- Total Fat
- 36 g
- Saturated Fat
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 11 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Cholesterol
- 221 mg
- Sodium
- 516 mg
Ingredients
Loup en Croûte:
Sauce Choron:
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Directions
Special equipment:
an immersion blender- For the loup en croûte: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until tender and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add half the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining spinach and continue to cook until all the spinach has wilted and is very tender, about 2 minutes more. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper.
- Transfer the spinach to a bowl lined with a kitchen towel or cheesecloth and let cool about 10 minutes. Once cool, gather up the edges of the towel and twist the top to squeeze out any excess liquid from the spinach. Set the spinach aside and discard the liquid.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Working with one sheet at a time, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle that’s approximately 10 inches by 14 inches. Transfer one sheet of puff pastry to the prepared baking sheet.
- Place one branzino fillet in the center of the pastry. Rub with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Top the fillet evenly with the spinach. Top with the remaining branzino fillet, rub with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with another 1/4 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Brush around the fish and filling with a little beaten egg, then lay the other sheet of rolled-out pastry on top of the fish. Press gently to seal.
- Trim the pastry around the filling with a sharp knife, shaping it to look like a large fish and leaving a border of about 1 inch of pastry around the filling. The fish shape should include one fin on the top and one on the bottom as well as the head and tail. Use the back of a paring knife to create ridges in the fins and tail. Use a large pastry tip to make indents on the fish that look like scales. Lastly, cut some of the pastry trimmings to create the fish’s eye. Brush the whole fish with more egg wash, then transfer the fish on the sheet pan to the refrigerator to chill and firm up for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Once the fish has chilled, transfer it to the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through and the pastry has puffed and turned deep golden-brown, about 40 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- For the sauce Choron: While the fish is baking, combine the white wine, vinegar, chervil and tarragon stems, shallot and peppercorns in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat then lower heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer until the mixture has reduced to about 1 1/2 tablespoons of liquid, about 10 minutes. Carefully strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Combine the wine reduction, egg yolks and a pinch of salt in the bottom of a 2-cup liquid measuring cup that barely fits the head of an immersion blender. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling constantly, until foaming subsides.
- Place the head of an immersion blender into the bottom of the cup with the wine reduction and turn it on. With the blender constantly running, slowly pour hot butter into cup. It should emulsify with the egg yolk and wine reduction. Continue pouring until all the butter is added. The sauce should be thick and creamy. Season with a good pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Blend in the tomato purée until smooth and combined. Stir in the chopped tarragon and chervil. Serve immediately, or transfer to a small pot and cover with a tight-fitting lid and keep in a warm place (like near the oven) for up to 1 hour before serving.
- To serve, transfer the fish to a large serving platter and garnish with more chervil surrounding the fish if you like. Cut crosswise into slices about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Spoon some sauce onto individual serving plates and top each with a slice of fish and a sprig of chervil or parsley, if using. Serve immediately.
