Gently poached undulate ray wing spooned with caper brown butter, accented with pickled red onion, flat-leaf parsley, and crisp croutons. The fish remains the star: tender, pearlescent, and naturally buttery, complemented by a tangy, crunchy garnish that highlights its subtle flavor.
Ingredients
- 600 g fresh undulate ray wing or skate wing, skinned by the fishmonger
- 90 g high-quality unsalted butter
- 35 g nonpareil capers in brine, drained
- 45 g plain sourdough croutons
- 1 piece red onion
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 0.5 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 piece unwaxed lemon
- 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- to taste fine sea salt
- to taste whole black peppercorns
Method
- Prepare the pickled red onion: slice the onion as thinly as possible and place it in a small bowl with the red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and the olive oil. Toss and let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature; it should soften and turn bright pink while retaining a pleasant crunch.
- Rinse the skate wing quickly under cold running water, then pat completely dry with paper towels. Check that no dark skin or tough membrane remains; the flesh should be pale, firm, and smell fresh like the sea, never of ammonia.
- Prepare a simple court-bouillon in a wide skillet with water, the bay leaf, fresh thyme, parsley stems, salt, and a grind of black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer around 85 °C to 90 °C, then reduce the heat: the liquid should tremble without bubbling actively.
- Lower the skate into the simmering court-bouillon maintained at 85 °C. Poach gently for 10 to 12 minutes: the flesh should turn opaque and pearly, reach at least 55 °C at the thickest part, and cleanly pull away from the cartilage with the tip of a knife.
- Lift the skate out with a large spatula and transfer to a warm platter lined with paper towels. Let rest for 3 minutes, then gently lift the fillets off the central cartilage if preferred, keeping the pieces neat and intact.
- While the skate rests, roughly crush the croutons. Toast them dry in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing constantly until golden brown, crackling, and crisp.
- Make the brown butter: place the butter in a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat (about 130 °C to 140 °C). Let it melt, foam, and crackle for 4 to 5 minutes; as soon as the crackling subsides, the milk solids turn a toasted hazelnut brown, and a nutty aroma rises, immediately remove from the heat.
- Off the heat, stir the drained capers into the brown butter. Return to low heat for 1 minute (around 100 °C): they should sizzle gently and open up without burning. Stir in the smoked paprika, a pinch of cayenne, and the lemon juice to halt the cooking of the butter.
- Gently rewarm the skate pieces in a skillet with a spoonful of the caper brown butter over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just to glaze them and bring their temperature to about 50 °C without breaking up the delicate fibers.
- Plate the warm skate in the center of heated dishes. Spoon the hot caper brown butter over top, then scatter the drained pickled red onion around the fish in small accents rather than piling it directly on the flesh.
- Finish with the warm crushed croutons, freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, finely grated lemon zest, and a final grind of black pepper. Serve immediately while the butter is still lightly foaming.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 704.8 kcal
- Protein
- 37.37 g
- Carbohydrate
- 21.26 g
- Fat
- 52.51 g
- Fibre
- 3.1 g
- Calcium
- 44.03 mg
- Iron
- 1.48 mg
- Magnesium
- 22.83 mg