Lac du Bourget lavaret fillets gently seared skin-side down to keep the flesh pearly and tender, draped in a velvety beurre blanc whisked with Savoie white wine and served with steamed baby potatoes.
Ingredients
- 700 g skin-on Lac du Bourget lavaret fillets (lake whitefish)
- 800 g new baby potatoes
- 200 g unsalted pasteurized Savoie butter (82% fat content)
- 15 cl dry Apremont Savoie white wine PDO
- 3 cl white wine vinegar (6% acidity)
- 60 g fresh traditional shallots
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
- to taste Guérande fleur de sel
- to taste ground Penja white pepper
- 1 bunch fresh chives
Method
- Wash the baby potatoes without peeling them. Place them in a steamer basket over boiling water at 100 °C and steam covered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tip of a knife slips in without resistance (about 90 °C at the center). Keep warm, covered.
- Peel the traditional shallots and mince them as finely as possible. Cut the unsalted Savoie butter into small, even dice and immediately return it to the refrigerator at 4 °C to keep it firm and chilled. Finely mince the fresh chives.
- In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the minced shallots, dry Apremont Savoie white wine, and white wine vinegar. Reduce over medium-low heat (a gentle simmer at 85-90 °C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until syrupy and reduced to about 1 tablespoon of liquid without letting it brown.
- Run your fingers along the Lac du Bourget lavaret fillets to check for pin bones and remove any with culinary tweezers. Pat both the skin and flesh thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season the flesh with fleur de sel and ground white pepper.
- Set the saucepan of reduction over very low heat or a double boiler maintained between 55 °C and 60 °C. Whisk in the chilled butter piece by piece for 4 to 5 minutes to build a glossy, creamy emulsion without exceeding 65 °C. Season with fleur de sel and ground white pepper, then remove from the heat and keep in a warm spot at 50 °C for 5 minutes.
- Heat the grapeseed oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 170 °C to 180 °C (the oil will shimmer without smoking). Place the lavaret fillets skin-side down in the pan. Hold them down gently with a flat spatula for 30 seconds to prevent the skin from curling.
- Continue cooking skin-side down over medium heat without moving the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes, until the skin turns golden brown and very crisp, and the white opacity of the flesh travels three-quarters of the way up.
- Reduce the heat to very low, gently flip the fillets flesh-side down, and sear for 30 to 45 seconds, just until the core reaches 48 °C to 50 °C (pearly and tender flesh). Transfer immediately from the skillet and let rest for 1 minute on a warm plate.
- Cut the baby potatoes in half and arrange them on plates preheated to 50 °C. Place one lavaret fillet per serving, crispy skin facing up. Spoon the warm, emulsified beurre blanc over the fish and potatoes, scatter with finely minced fresh chives, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 828.9 kcal
- Protein
- 39.93 g
- Carbohydrate
- 37.74 g
- Fat
- 55.26 g
- Fibre
- 4.79 g
- Calcium
- 35.94 mg
- Iron
- 1.47 mg
- Magnesium
- 7.9 mg
