Harissa-Spiced '8-Bone' Flounder Rack
Recipe courtesy of Wesley Tyler CEC, CCA, WCMC, Executive Chef of The Club at Carlton Woods (The Woodlands, Texas)
Ingredients
- flounder rack - 1 ea., 4-5 oz., Frenched, 8 bones, skin-on
- flounder fillet - 1 ea., 4-5 oz., skin-on
- sweet potato nage - 3 oz.
- purple baby carrots - 2 ea., blanched
- saffron cream - 2 oz.
- harissa spice - 1 tsp.
- dill fronds - garnish
- Sweet Potato Nage
- sweet potato - 1 ea., peeled, large diced
- heavy cream - 1 cup
- salt - to taste
- Saffron Cream
- heavy cream - 4 cups
- garlic cloves - 2 ea.
- shallot - 1 ea., small diced
- Spanish saffron - 1.5 gms.
- white wine - 1.5 oz.
Instructions
Procedure for Sweet Potato Nage:
- In a small sauce pot over medium-high heat, cover diced sweet potatoes with water and simmer until soft and tender.
- Strain sweet potatoes. Let cool slightly.
- In a blender, combine sweet potatoes and heavy cream. Blend to purée.
- Remove purée to small stainless steel bowl. Salt to taste.
Procedure for Saffron Cream:
- In a small sauce pan, lightly sauté the shallots and garlic in a small amount of fat.
- Add in the saffron. Deglaze with white wine.
- Add in heavy cream. Bring to low simmer.
- Reduce by half.
- Once reduced, strain sauce through fine sieve and reserve.
To Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly dust flounder fillet and rack on top side with harissa spice, salt and pepper.
- In a medium-sized sauté pan, sear the flounder rack skin-side down over medium-high heat. Once rack releases from pan, flip and repeat with alternate side.
- Remove from heat. Place in oven until rack reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
- Separately, over medium-high heat, sear the seasoned fillet skin-side down. Flip, remove from heat, and let rest. Internal temperature should be 140°F
- Place carrots over high flame on wood-burning grill. Mark well and remove. Set aside.
- In off-center of plate of choice, dollop 1 spoonful of sweet potato nage onto plate. Swipe smoothly in continuous flow toward edge of plate.
- Place flounder fillet offset of the nage, creating a base for the rack.
- Align rack with sweet potato and lean against fillet so rack is standing.
- Shingle carrots directly on top of fillet.
- Spoon saffron cream on and around dish.
- Garnish with fresh dill fronds.