Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2 cups port
2 cups sherry vinegar
3 Tbls vegetable oil
1 pound fresh cepes (French for porcini mushrooms), stems cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, caps halved if small or cut into 3 or 4 slices if large
2 branches fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced
5 Tbls unsalted butter
4 (6-ounce) red snapper fillets
1/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tsp minced fresh chives
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Directions: |
Directions:Bring the port to a boil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Lower the heat slightly and simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Add the vinegar and simmer until reduced almost to a syrup consistency, lowering the heat as necessary to keep the sauce from burning around the edges — you should have about 7 tablespoons. (The sauce can be made to this point up to 1 week ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
In large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of corn oil until the oil is just smoking. Add the cepes, thyme, and garlic and lower the heat to medium. Sauté until browned, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to low and add the shallot and 2 tablespoons of butter. Season both with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the shallot is softened and the cepes are tender, about 6 minutes more. Discard the garlic and thyme. (The cepes can be made to his point up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate).
Season both sides of the snapper with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the five-spice powder over the skin and rub it into the fish. In a large non-stick skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of corn oil. Place over high heat until the oil is just smoking. Add the snapper to the skillet, skin side down, and briefly hold the fillets down with a spatula to prevent the skin from shrinking. Sauté until the bottom of the fillets are dark and crusted, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook for about 5 minutes longer, until a metal skewer inserted into the fish for 5 seconds is met with medium resistance and feels warm when touched to your lip. Keep the fillets warm.
Meanwhile, reheat the mushrooms. Bring the Port sauce to a boil over high heat. Cut the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in to 1/2-inch pieces. Lift the saucepan a few inches above the heat and add the butter. Shake the pan back and forth until the butter is melted and incorporated into the sauce; this will take about 3 minutes. Do not stir or whisk the butter into the sauce. The sauce will be very shiny and clear.
To serve, stir the chives into the mushrooms and arrange them in the center of 4 large plates. Top with the snapper. Drizzle the sauce around the mushrooms and serve immediately. |
This recipe for Red Snapper and Cepes in a Port Reduction is from