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| Sole & Spinach Roulades |
The last time I was in Paris I had a moment when I thought I can't wait to have food in it's natural state again. The French really love to do things to food: puree, mousse, chaud-froid, etc... I come from the Italian cooking tradition which in many ways is the antithesis of French cooking. Italian cooking is very simple, little technique, few ingredients.
As I read through this recipe and saw that Dorie wanted me to turn my beautiful fresh fish into a mousse, and then make a filling and two sauces... the Italian in me said, "BASTA, this is just too fussy for a home cooked meal." Maybe if I was out for dinner I might order this dish out of curiosity, though I really think there are too many things going on in it.
The following is my simplified version of Cod & Spinach Roulades. I used sole because you need a thinner fish than cod if you are going to stuff and roll it without turning it into a mousse. I cooked the spinach close to Dorie's directions, and I pureed it. Spinach is definitely easier to use as a filling when it is pureed. For a sauce I basically made a bruschetta which incorporated both flavors of Dorie's sauces in one. I did not puree it. Tomatoes are watery enough, pureed... no thank you.
The result was definitely more Provence style than the original recipe (oh, so much simpler and easier to make) and it was enjoyed so greatly: I got two text messages from my nephew thanking me for a delicious dinner.
Sole & Spinach Roulades
Inspired by Dorie Greenspan's Cod & Spinach Roulades from Around my French Table
by Diane Balch
simplelivingeating.com
Preparation: 30 minutes Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS:
4 pieces of sole or other thin white fish
Filling:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced shallot
1 clove minced garlic
5 ounces baby spinach
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
1 large ripe tomato chopped
1 tablespoon good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of anchovy paste
1 tablespoon of minced fresh basil
salt (fleur de sel is great)
pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put rack in the middle. Coat an 8x8" baking pan with olive oil.
2) Whisk the olive oil, anchovy, basil, salt & pepper for the sauce together and pour it over the chopped tomatoes. Let this sit.
3) For the filling sauté the shallots and garlic with the oil in a large skillet. Add spinach as shallots begin to wilt. Do not brown the garlic. Cook the spinach until it wilts.
4) Puree the spinach mixture in a blender or food processor.
5) Face the fish dark side up. Salt and pepper each fillet. Divide stuffing among fillets, mounding on thicker half of each. Fold thinner half of fillet over stuffing, tucking end under to form a packet.
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4 pieces of sole or other thin white fish
Filling:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced shallot
1 clove minced garlic
5 ounces baby spinach
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
1 large ripe tomato chopped
1 tablespoon good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of anchovy paste
1 tablespoon of minced fresh basil
salt (fleur de sel is great)
pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put rack in the middle. Coat an 8x8" baking pan with olive oil.
2) Whisk the olive oil, anchovy, basil, salt & pepper for the sauce together and pour it over the chopped tomatoes. Let this sit.
3) For the filling sauté the shallots and garlic with the oil in a large skillet. Add spinach as shallots begin to wilt. Do not brown the garlic. Cook the spinach until it wilts.
4) Puree the spinach mixture in a blender or food processor.
5) Face the fish dark side up. Salt and pepper each fillet. Divide stuffing among fillets, mounding on thicker half of each. Fold thinner half of fillet over stuffing, tucking end under to form a packet.
6) Cover baking dish with parchment and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 10 minutes or until fish is opaque.
Note: As a member of French Friday's with Dorie I am not allowed to print the recipe. I invite you to take a look at this wonderful cookbook "Around My French Table" if you are interested in this or any other recipe I review.
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