Fish with Citrus Butter Sauce – Niner Wine Estates

By Jacob Burrell, Executive Chef of Niner Wine Estates

We ran a dish for brunch a few months back: halibut cheeks, sauce maltaise, and broccoli.  When we tasted this year’s Silhouette du Coeur, our minds naturally went back to that. Sauce maltaise is in the hollandaise family tree; you take that base and work in blood orange zest and juice. Classically, it’s paired with asparagus but works well with other green vegetables and seafood. We’re going to take those flavors and adapt them to braising fish fillets.

Wine Pairing: Niner Wine Estates 2017 Reserve Silhouette du Coeur

Ingredients

1 lb. mild fresh white fish fillets, shrimp or scallops
1x sliced shallot (or 1/4x sliced onion)
1x garlic clove, lightly smashed
1x tiny piece of ginger, lightly smashed
1x blood orange split into: a few strips of zest, half juiced and half cut into segments
2t olive oil
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup quality light chicken/vegetable stock or clam juice
4t butter
1 head broccoli, including the stem peeled and cut into wedges a couple drops of fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Seafood benefits from being seasoned 20 minutes to an hour in advance to help release some of the glutamates (meatiness/umami). Salting in advance will also firm up the flesh a bit.

In an ovenproof pan, heat olive oil. Carefully place seasoned seafood in a pan and lightly color both sides (about 30 seconds per side). Add garlic, ginger, wine, zest and water/stock. Bring to a simmer and then transfer pan to oven. Finish in the oven until fish is cooked through to the desired doneness. (1” thick fish will be cooked through in about 10 minutes – use this as your guide).

While your fish is finishing, fill a pot (that has a lid) with water to cover the bottom. Season water with salt and steam broccoli to desired doneness.  When finished, remove broccoli from pot and reserve.

When ready, remove fish fillets from the oven and reserve. Place pan on the stovetop at medium heat.  Check for seasoning of your broth, perhaps adding a pinch of salt at this point. Add butter and orange juice and reduce until saucy consistency (about 1-2 min).  Add in orange segments and fish fillets, tossing to coat.  Check the seasoning. Plate and serve with the steamed broccoli.