A Return to Cooking
by
Eric Ripert and Michael Ruhlman
“The more successful you become, the further you are taken
from the work that made you a success in the first place, from
what it was you most loved doing.” And so Eric Ripert,
the chef of Le Bernadin, New York’s Mecca of seafood,
takes a sabbatical from his kitchen and embarks on a journey
to Puerto Rico, the Napa Valley, the Long Island shore, and
the Vermont countryside, to become once more a “cook”
for himself and his entourage of friends. The journey allows
Ripert to celebrate local and seasonal produce and experiment
with techniques, such as fireplace roasting, not available in
a restaurant kitchen. Along the way Ripert combines 150 luscious
recipes with mini-tutorials on technique. The book is accompanied
by reproductions of exuberant paintings by Ripert’s friend,
Columbian artist Valentino Cortazar.
Sautéed Turbot with Creamy Jasmine Rice and Coriander
Broth
From A Return to Cooking by Eric Ripert and
Michael Ruhlman, Artisan 2002
Adapted by StarChefs
Turbot is great for sautéing because
it is a big, muscular, flavorful fish. But it’s also
lean, so we need a rich element on the plate. What I like
about this dish is that it reverses the rich and lean components.
Typically the sauce is rich and the garnish is light. Here
the sauce is a light but powerfully flavorful broth and the
jasmine rice is enriched with the cream.
 Yield:
6 Servings
Ingredients:
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 ½ teaspoons fennel seeds
- ½ star anise
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- Six 6-ounce turbot fillets
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Grated zest of 2 lemons (about 3 Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro julienne
Method:
For Sauce:
Place chicken stock in medium pot and bring to a simmer over
medium heat. Add coriander, fennel, star anise, and cayenne
pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste with sea
salt and pepper, strain and set aside.
For Jasmine Rice:
Place 2 ¾ cups water in medium saucepan and bring to
a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon
pepper, then add rice and lower to a simmer. Cook until underdone,
still with a bit of crunch, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and set
aside.
For Turbot:
Place two large nonstick sauté pans over high heat
and add 1 Tablespoon of canola oil to each pan. Season turbot
on both sides with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add 3
turbot fillets to each pan. Cook until nicely browned on first
side, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook until done,
about another 2 minutes.
While turbot is in last 2 minutes of cooking,
combine remaining ¼ cup water and heavy cream in a
pan and bring to a simmer. Add reserved rice and stir to incorporate.
Adjust seasonings. Add about 2 tablespoons of lemon zest and
cilantro and stir to incorporate.
Gently reheat sauce and add remaining lemon
zest.
To Serve:
Place about ½ cup rice in center of each of six warm
plates. Top each with 1 turbot fillet. Spoon sauce around
plates. Serve immediately.
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