Less-Is-More Flatfish

This dish represents a lovely combination of easy and delicious, with distinctly French roots. It shows how sophisticated simplicity can be. As with many such dishes, quality of ingredients is key. If your fish and herbs aren't super-fresh, don't bother.

total preparation time, including cooking, 20 minutes
serves 4

ingredients

• about 1 1/4 pounds extremely fresh flatfish fillets, preferably of even thickness. I used some gorgeous turbot from Harbor Fish.
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 medium or large clove garlic, sliced very thin
• about 1/4 cup chopped very fresh herbs. I used a combination of roughly 2 parts Italian parsley, 2 parts chives, and 1 part tarragon.
  
• 2 - 4 Tb unsalted butter, at room temperature
• salt
• freshly ground pepper - white if you have it
  

special equipment

• large non-reactive skillet with lid
• large slotted spatula
• whisk
  

Put your dinner plates in a 175 degree oven to heat. Place the wine and garlic in the skillet and bring to a simmer, covered, over moderate heat. After a few minutes of cooking to blend flavors, place the fish in the skillet in a single layer. Cover and bring back just barely to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Poach for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until just opaque. My turbot was 3/4 of an inch thick and was done in 7 minutes.

With the spatula, remove the fillets carefully to the hot plates, leaving the accumulated fish juices and wine behind. Off heat, whisk 2Tb butter and the herbs into the poaching liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding more butter if needed. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately with some excellent bread and a green salad.

On Ramps

Scored some beautiful local ramps this weekend. I had never cooked them before. They came out great. Here's my recipe, informed by multiple internet sources.

1 bunch ramps, with tops, roots removed.
1 small zucchini
olive oil
salt

Cut off the leaves off the ramps where they begin to grow wide and flat. Leave the round stems attached to the bulbs. If any bulbs are much bigger than others, cut these in half lengthwise. Set aside the leafy tops and cut into 3cm lengths. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into 1cm thick slices.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over low-moderate heat. Add the ramp bulbs. Cover and sweat for about 10 minutes. Remove cover, raise heat to medium-high, and add the squash. Saute for 5 minutes or until the zucchini has begun to brown and is tender. Add the ramp tops and saute until wilted - about another minute or two. Salt to taste and serve.

Morellino Value

Been getting some really gratifying values at Rosemont Market. To me this is unquestionably the Portland area's best wine store, as buyer John Naylor has the best palate around. This 2006 Morellino from Bruni gives a slightly austere impression at first. (Especially if you make the mistake of trying it after you polish off the last of yesterday's soft and juicy new world bottle, as we had the misfortune of doing.) However, after a half hour of air time, the depth and length of this really well-constructed wine start to show. Glossy dark cherry fruit and savory lip-smacking fine tannins lead to a nicely judged spicy finish. Imagine a good riserva Chianti with about 30% merlot, and you will get the right idea. Highly recommended for the price - $13 - $15. Anyone who loves Tuscan wines should try this.

Other super values recently purchased there include the 2008 Wallace Brook Oregon Pinot Gris - Adelsheim negociant bottling, I think - for $7.99, and an aging but still-hanging-on 2006 Bourgogne blanc from Matrot at twelve or thirteen bucks. The latter tastes like low-grade Meursault, and may well be.

Ox Tails with Spring Onions

Ox Tails with Spring Onions
serves 4

The ox tails here are merely the focal point for the heavenly gravy, glossy and full-bodied because of the infusion of gelatin from the oxtails, piquant because of the wine and vinegar, sweet because of the root vegetables, and all brightened by the green onions.

work time: 45 minutes
elapsed time: 3.5 hours

8 - 10 ox tail sections, approx. 3" x 3"
1 head garlic, whole cloves separated and peeled, with roots cut off
6 - 8 whole shallots, peeled, with roots cut off
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces (roughly the same size as the shallots)
2 - 3 sweet green spring onions - e.g., Vidalia
1 bottle red wine
2 Tb balsamic vinegar
1 small (14oz) can diced tomatoes
3 European bay leaves
flour
salt
pepper
oil


If the ox tails are frozen, thaw them in the wine at room temperature for a couple of hours. Then drain and pat dry.

With a sharp knife, trim any excess fat off the ox tails.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Pre-heat a large ovenproof saute pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Dredge the ox tails in flour and shake off excess. Add several tablespoons of oil to the hot pan. Brown the ox tails thoroughly on all sides without burning, turning with tongs as needed. This will probably take 15 - 20 minutes. Set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium and saute the garlic, shallots, and carrots in the pan for a few minutes. Add two or three tablespoons of flour - enough to absorb any excess oil - and stir. Cook over low heat for five minutes. Add the tomatoes and the wine and bring to a full simmer over high heat, making sure to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the oxtails and the bay leaves. Cover.

Place the covered pan in the oven and cook for three hours and fifteen minutes. Turn the oxtails over halfway through cooking.

Slice the green onions thickly. Divide into three piles: whites, light greens, and medium greens. (Compost the dark greens.) Saute the white part of the onion over high heat until it begins to brown. Add the light greens and saute a few more minutes. Whites and light greens should have begun to soften. Add the medium greens, stir briefly, and remove from heat. Stir the onions into the oxtails.





Cover the oxtail pan and let rest for fifteen minutes. During this period, finish making the risotto and the salad.

Place one oxtail section in each of four soup plates, with a generous amount of gravy. Spoon a serving of low-profile risotto into each plate. (Make the risotto with water, not stock, just a small amount of butter, and a few tablespoons of frehly grated Romano cheese. Don't overcook.) The gravy and the risotto are really good match, texturally. Serve a salad on the side, and accompany with a serious Italian wine, such as Rivetti's "Pin".