LOUP DE MER TENDER LEEKS, OVOLI MUSHROOMS À LA CRÈME
ONE OF MY FAVORITE wild mushrooms, the Amanita Caesarea, also called ovoli, or oronge in French, has been revered since Roman times. To me, the ovoli bear a mythical aura, perhaps because they have become so rare. They can be eaten roasted or raw. Raw, they remind me of hazelnut; cooked, they taste of earthy forest. So why choose? At Daniel, we present them both ways: Paired with the pristine flesh of the loup de mer, we concentrate their roasted flavor with cream, shallots, and vermouth. Raw slices, silky and fresh, are drizzled with olive oil and counterbalance the richness of the fish.
Servings
6
Servings
6
Ingredients
Loup de Mer
Ovoli and Yukon Gold Potato Ragout
Roasted Ovoli Mushrooms
Steamed Leek
To Finish
Instructions
For the Loup de Mer
  1. Preheat the oven to 315°F.
  2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the skin from the loup de mer fillets and boil it for 30 seconds. Strain, rinse with cold water, and pat dry. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with a thin coating of olive oil. Line the skin on top in a flat layer. Brush another sheet of parchment with oil and set on top of the skin, oiled side down. Set another baking sheet on top to keep the skin flat and bake for 45 minutes, or until the skin is crispy. While still hot, transfer the skin to a cutting board and cut each into three ½-inch-wide strips. Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container.
  3. Divide each fillet into 3 equal portions and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Cut six 6 × 10-inch rectangles of parchment paper and brush them on one side with olive oil. Cut away the white outer skin from the mushrooms and gently wipe away any dirt from the stems and caps with a damp cloth. Separate the caps from the mushrooms and reserve the stems for the ragout. With a sharp mandoline, cut the caps widthwise into thin slices. Set 18 slices onto a plate, wrap with plastic wrap, and reserve, chilled, for garnishing. Divide the remaining slices lengthwise in an overlapping line on each portion of fish, slightly off-center. Individually wrap each portion of fish in the parchment rectangles, oiled side in. Transfer to a baking sheet and reserve, chilled.
For the Ovoli and Yukon Gold Potato Ragout
  1. Brown the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring, until golden. Add the vermouth and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from the heat.
  2. Peel the potato, cut it into ¼-inch dice, and add to the pan. Add the cream, chicken jus, and salt and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are cooked but not mushy. Season with lemon juice and pepper. Keep warm and stir in the chives just before serving.
For the Roasted Ovoli Mushrooms
  1. In a medium sauté pan, brown the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until soft. Add the ovoli mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the vermouth and simmer until almost dry. Keep warm.
For the Steamed Leek
  1. Preheat a stovetop steamer. Peel any tough outer skins from the leek and rinse it well with cold water. Cut on a bias into at least eighteen ¼-inch rounds. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the steamer and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender.
To Finish
  1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Season the reserved slices of ovoli caps with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice.
  2. Bake the fish for 12 minutes, or until a cake tester passes easily through the fillet with little resistance. Unwrap the loup de mer from the parchment paper and sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice.
  3. For each serving, spoon ragout onto one side of a warm dinner plate and rest a portion of loup de mer on top, mushroom side up. Spoon some of the sauce from the ragout over the fish to glaze. Place a piece of crispy skin on the fish opposite the sliced ovoli. On the other side of the plate, arrange 3 leek pieces, 2 pieces roasted ovoli, 3 ovoli cap slices, and 3 chive tips in a line. Garnish the plate with 5 chive blossoms.