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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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Thank you for this recipe. I actually liked the puree, but I doubt I'd make the recipe again. Your version sounds so much easier, and still delicious.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's delicious, but I am and this blog is about maximizing flavor in the simplest, and easiest way possible.
DeleteYours is definitely prettier than mine...and much simpler!!! Well done, my friend!
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to wrap? it sounded like you might need some background in sushi making for this recipe.
DeleteYour simple version is beautiful too.
ReplyDeleteYes - rolling up the puree and the filling did kind of remind me of rolling sushi. Minus the bamboo mat, of course!
Have a nice weekend.
I've eaten sushi that is like this... shrimp actually. It might make a nice sushi roll.
DeleteI found pureeing the fish very challenging.
ReplyDeleteI had a feeling it would be and I didn't quite feel it would really taste that much better?
DeleteIf I ever consider doing this again, I will make it this way instead! Sheesh, what a production! And not much payoff in flavor. I imagine this would be much better, keeping the fish in its natural form. And yours looks so much more appetizing too!
ReplyDeleteIn a way I'm relieved to hear this... I cook a lot of fish and it didn't seem worth the effort to me. You'll like it this way. As usual Dorie's sense of flavor is right on... nice ingredients.
DeleteI likely would have preferred your version. More likely though, I would take it down another notch and just serve the fish with a side of spinach. My grandparents were Italian so maybe I have a little of that in me too.
ReplyDeleteI was just listening on the radio to Chris Kimbell the editor of Cook's Illustrated and he said, "I think the more one cooks the simpler one cooks." Sums it up for me.
DeleteWell that does look lovely but really the recipe as written is quite fun and interesting to make too! You should definitely try it sometime!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure experimenting with the technique might be interesting but I don't like moussed fish.
DeleteYour version looks wonderful! Glad I tried it, but not a repeat for me :-)
ReplyDeleteI was expecting you to say that... we seem to agree on most recipes. I"ll go check out your post right now.
DeleteRight on, Diane! You are telling me that my instincts were right! Ha. No more fish mousse in this house! Yours look exactly like I was imagining after I read this week's assignment title and purchased my beautiful fish, but before I read the recipe. Yikes! :)
ReplyDeleteI also come from a Mediterranean background, and so agree with you! I like my food in it’s natural state, too!! When I first read that Dorie wanted us to puree this beautiful fish I was seriously thinking of skipping this one. I love your version!! A perfect compromise! Have a great weekend, Diane!!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny I never really thought about the contrast between French and Italian cooking until I joined this group... I never could put my finger on what bothered me at times about French food, now I get it... it's because of my background.
DeleteOooh, I like the idea of using whole fish instead. Your dish is more like what I thought this would be - until I read the recipe.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was pretty thrown while reading the directions too. I hope you try it whole fish, really nice ingredients in this dish.
DeleteYour version is exactly what I envisioned when I saw the title, but before I read the recipe. I love how yours came out. I made the mousse, which was interesting, but like food in its natural state better too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my blog about the Yankees/Red Sox banner. It warmed my heart. Even rivals come together in times like these. And for the moment, it looks like we'll have some answers on why.
Have a great weekend.
I'm so glad to hear it was helpful. It really was amazing. So glad the chase is over. You guys need a good night sleep amen.
DeleteI love your version - I think it would have gone over much better with my partner, too.
ReplyDeleteOh good, I hope you get to try it.
DeleteThis sounds great! I will have to try it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do Emily it really is delicious.
DeleteNo thanks to fish mousse. Pretty please to this roulade! Simple, elegant, each component shines through in its own right.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about your French food experience. Never really thought about it before!
I've been to Paris about every decade and in general I love the food, but last time it really struck me that it was very manipulated... must have been where I was eating.
DeleteI love this much simpler variation on this dish. It looks and sounds absolutely scrumptious, but it's much less daunting to make. I've pinned it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for pinning... I hope you get to make it soon it is really an impressive meal.
DeleteRecipe sounds good.........Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope you’ll join us again!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
That looks so delicious! I don't cook French dishes very often but this looks simple and healthy.
ReplyDeleteI skipped the cream and butter... this is definitely a recipe for you. It is light but still has lots of flavor.
DeleteYour Cod Spinach Roulades look delicious, we will just love these. Your recipe is fabulous and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great weekend and come back soon!
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen