Redfish Mousquetaire
Arriving covered with Mousquetaire Sauce — flavored with lemon juice and mustard — this redfish is poached in seasoned water and allowed to cool before service. Redfish, once a popular New Orleans fish, was taken off the commercial market to prevent overfishing. You may substitute firm, white-fleshed fish of other species.
Ingredients
- Water - 2 cups
- Dry white wine - 1 cup
- Black peppercorns - 4
- Onion - 1, chopped
- Lemons - 2, halved
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Redfish Fillets - 4 (alt. other firm, white-fleshed fish)
- Mousquetaire Sauce
- Egg Yolks - 3
- Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon
- Dry Mustard - 1/4 teaspoon
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
- Olive Oil - 2-1/4 cups
- Hot Water - 2 tablespoons
- Green Onions - 2 tablespoons, minced
- Parsley - 1 tablespoon, minced
- Beef Stock or Consommé - 1/4 cup
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Lemon - 1, cut into thin discs
- Watercress - 4 sprigs
- Parsley - 4 sprigs
Instructions
Put the water, wine, peppercorns, and onion in a pot. Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the mixture, then drop in the lemons. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Put the redfish fillets in the poaching liquid and poach for 8 to 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove and let cool.
To make the sauce: Beat the egg yolks with half the lemon juice and mustard, plus salt and pepper to taste. When the mixture has thickened, add the olive oil while beating, a drop at a time at first, then increasing to a drizzle. When all the oil is incorporated, add the hot water, green onions, and parsley. Fold in the stock and season with cayenne; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve: Place a fillet on each serving dish. Pour sauce over the fish. Garnish with lemon discs, watercress, and parsley.
