New Jersey Black Fish Meuniere with poached Cape May Salt Oysters, tomato-cucumber concasse, cilantro broth, garlic croutons and spicy oil

By Executive Chef Jim Weaver, Tre Piani Restaurant
http://www.trepiani.com

Yield: 4 portions                       Portion size: 6 oz and 4 oysters

Ingredients:

I whole Tautog (Blackfish) about 4 pounds
16 Cape May Salt Oysters shucked, liquore reserved
2 medium Jersey tomatoes
1 Jersey Fresh cucumber or ½ hot house cucumber
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
2 stalks celery
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup white wine
8 slices Italian Panella
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. crushed red chilies
4 tbsp. butter
½ cup all purpose flour
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method of preparation:

Mix ½ of the olive oil and chilies at high speed in a blender, reserve.

Filet the fish, skin it, cut out and small bones and portion into 6 ounce pieces, refrigerate until ready to cook. Chop the bones and add to a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Skim the top of the stock as the film accumulates. When somewhat clear, add the onion, celery, bay leaves, thyme, cloves and white wine and cook for another 30 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes in it for about thirty seconds until the skin cracks, remove and immediately chill in ice water.

Peel and seed the tomatoes and chop into medium dice. Also peel and seed the cucumber and chop into medium dice. Mix the tomato and cucumber together and season with sea salt, reserve at room temperature.

Cut 16 small round croutons (about 1-2 inches across) from the bread and sauté in the other ½ of the olive oil until brown on one side. Crush the garlic and add it to the pan while the second side cooks. Remove the croutons to a platter and drizzle with the leftover garlic oil in the pan. Reserve.

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. While the butter melts, season the fish filets on both sides with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge the filets in the flour on both sides and pat off excess. Place the filet into the sauté pan, in butter that should be lightly browned. Cook until well browned and crisp on either side and the filets are just barely cooked through. Remove each filet to individual warm serving plates. Add 12 ounces of the stock to another pan and reduce by ½, add the oysters, their liquore and the chopped cilantro. Poach for 30 seconds.

Place a crouton an all four sides of the filet and place an oyster on top of each one. Spoon the rest of the broth over all and then top the fish with the tomato and cucumber. Garnish with a drizzle of spicy oil and a piece of fresh cilantro leaf. Serve immediately.