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KITCHEN
Mix all marinade ingredients in a pot and simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool and reserve. The marinade tastes better if it is made the day before. Cover the fish with the marinade for 1 hour in a non-reactive dish( glass, plastic, stainless steal, etc.). Drain off liquid and pat dry with a towel.
Photo by Ian McCausland
This Test Kitchen was a real epicurian adventure. Chef Joel Lamoureux challenged the palates of wine experts Sylvia Jansen, Saralyn Mehta, and Tina Jones by presenting them with variations on each component of this dish. Each slight change to the meal meant a variation in the wine they initially paired with the meal. As they tasted through each part of the meal, Joel’ s variations and the wine panel’ s reactions helped to build the best meal with the best wine pairing. Taste the results yourself at our Test Kitchen Encore event on January 13( see page 52 for details).
THE MEAL Roasted Sable Fish with a Coffee Soy Marinade and Napa Cab Blue Cheese Sauce
The Marinade Coffee Soy Marinade 2 c. espresso or strong coffee 1 / 2 c. soy sauce 30g / 2 tbsp brown sugar 4 sprigs each of fresh mint, tarragon, and basil 2 bay leaves 15g / 1 tbsp peppercorns 30g / 2 tbsp sliced shallots
The Fish Joel provided three fish options: Halibut, Sable Fish, and Monk Fish. Consensus was that the Sable Fish was the best at holding up to the strong flavours in the sauce.
Roasted Sable Fish( a. k. a. Butter Fish, Black Cod) 4-200g / 7oz pieces marinated Sable Fish 30g / 2 tbsp vegetable oil 5g / 1tsp butter Salt and pepper to taste
Using a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil and butter on medium heat until butter foams. Season the fish lightly and place in the pan. Now don’ t touch the fish! As much as you want to touch it, leave it alone for 4 – 5 minutes! When the fish has a golden brown crust, it will break loose from the pan. Flip the fish and finish roasting in a 400 º F oven for about 5 minutes.
The Sauce The sauce started as a beurre rouge with slices of blue cheese. Tina asked Joel to instead build a blue cheese sauce that would flatter the fish, and also look appealing on the plate. They ended up tasting both a white and red version of the blue cheese sauce, and this came out on top.
Napa Cab Blue Cheese Sauce 30g / 2 tbsp shallots, minced 15ml / 1 tbsp vegetable oil 30ml / 2 tbsp Zinfandel red wine vinegar 121ml / 1 / 2 c. Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 121ml / 1 / 2 c. 35 % cream 60g / 4 tbsp St-Agur Blue Cheese, cubed 15g / 1 tbsp butter, cubed
In a medium sauce pan, slowly sauté shallots in oil until translucent. Add Zinfandel vinegar and reduce until syrupy. Add red wine and reduce again until syrupy. Add cream and reduce by half. Turn heat off, then whisk in small amounts of blue cheese and butter until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm until service.
The Sides Roasted Cherry Tomatoes 484g / 2 c. cherry tomatoes 30g / 2 tbsp olive oil 2 sprigs fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients in a bowl and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 º F until skins start to peel back, about 15 – 20 minutes.
Chanterelle Mushrooms The panel tried a range of mushrooms, and found that each
The Meal continued on page 57
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