The great classic of Burgundy river cuisine, where firm cuts of barbel simmer in a full-bodied red wine sauce, elevated by glazed pearl onions, golden lardons and garlicky croutons.
Ingredients
- 1400 g fresh river barbel, gutted and cut into steaks
- 75 cl PDO Burgundy Pinot Noir red wine
- 200 g whole beechwood smoked pork belly
- 250 g fresh small pearl onions
- 250 g fresh button mushrooms
- 60 g pasteurized unsalted butter, 82% fat
- 30 g T55 wheat flour
- 4 cl PDO marc de Bourgogne
- 4 cloves fresh white garlic cloves
- 1 piece fresh tied bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, flat leaf parsley)
- 1 tsp granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp regular sunflower oil
- 4 slices sliced sourdough country bread
- 1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp black peppercorns in a mill
Method
- Prepare the garnish ingredients. Peel the pearl onions, keeping their root ends intact to prevent them from falling apart. Clean the button mushrooms, remove the earthy base and cut them into even quarters. Cut the smoked pork belly into lardons about half a centimeter thick. Peel most of the garlic cloves and crush them with the flat of the blade, keeping one whole clove for the croutons.
- Render the lardons and brown the onions. In a cast iron Dutch oven set over moderate heat, brown the lardons without added fat until they are deep golden and crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon, leaving the fond and rendered fat in the pot. Add a knob of unsalted butter to this hot base, toss in the pearl onions, sprinkle with granulated white sugar and roll them around for five minutes until they achieve a nice, even caramel color. Set them aside with the lardons.
- Sear the mushrooms. In the same Dutch oven, add a splash of sunflower oil if needed, then toss in the button mushrooms. Saute them briskly until they release and evaporate all their moisture and the sides are browned. Set them aside with the rest of the garnish.
- Sear the fish pieces and flambé. Carefully pat each river barbel steak dry with paper towels to ensure a quick sear without steaming, then season them with fine salt and black pepper. Place the cuts into the very hot Dutch oven over high heat. Let them color for two minutes on each side until the flesh forms a light blonde crust. Pour in the marc de Bourgogne, bring a flame close to flambé the mixture, then immediately remove the fish gently with a wide spatula and set it aside on a plate.
- Make and reduce the red wine base. Return the Dutch oven to high heat, pour in the Burgundy red wine, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze all the caramelized juices. Add the crushed garlic cloves and the tied fresh bouquet garni. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower to a gentle, uncovered simmer for fifteen minutes, until the wine reduces by a good third and releases a rich aroma stripped of its initial acidity.
- Simmer the fish in the infused wine. Gently place the river barbel cuts into the reduced sauce, then add the lardons and golden pearl onions. Cover the Dutch oven, set over very low heat and let simmer for ten minutes without stirring roughly, until the fish flesh turns opaque and begins to pull away from the central bone. Fold in the sauteed mushrooms during the last two minutes to warm them through.
- Thicken the sauce with beurre manié. In a bowl, mash the remaining softened unsalted butter with the wheat flour using a fork to form a smooth paste. Carefully remove the fish and all the garnish with a slotted spoon, transfer them to a deep serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Bring the remaining sauce to a moderate boil, whisk in the beurre manié in small pieces, then let boil for two minutes until the liquid takes on a creamy, glossy consistency and coats the back of a spoon. Adjust the seasoning with fine salt and black pepper.
- Make the croutons and plate. Toast the country bread slices in a toaster or in a skillet with a knob of butter until very crispy, then vigorously rub the warm crumb with the reserved garlic clove halved. Generously coat the river barbel steaks and their Burgundy garnish with the steaming sauce. Sprinkle with freshly chopped flat leaf parsley and arrange the golden croutons all around before serving immediately.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 999 kcal
- Protein
- 81.65 g
- Carbohydrate
- 40.9 g
- Fat
- 39.83 g
- Fibre
- 4.8 g
- Calcium
- 52.32 mg
- Iron
- 2.29 mg
- Magnesium
- 45.83 mg
