One of the top seafood restaurants in Thessaloniki (and one of the best in Greece) is Mavri Thalassa (Black Sea) – the name likely paying homage to the many Greeks who resettled in mainland Greece from the Black Sea region.
This family run restaurant has been operating for years and I’ve been following their social media posts – often sharing tips and techniques to cook fish and seafood. One such dish is where they poached some grouper, removed the bones and placed the cooked fish meat on a platter.
The fish was topped with a reduction of the poaching liquid, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon. Simple, elegant, delicious.
Poached Fish with Oil & Lemon Sauce
Course: Featured4
servings15
minutes25
minutesIngredients
1 whole sea bream
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups water
1/2 cup dry white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Directions
- Into a deep skillet, add the water, scallions, mustard, wine and bring up to a boil. The liquid should come halfway up the side of the fish. Add 1/2 tsp. of salt, cover and reduce to medium and poach for 10 minutes.
- Carefully lift out the fish and transfer to a plate. If you want play safe, pass the poaching liquid through a sieve and pour back into the skillet. Add the lemon juice and simmer/reduce to half.
- Meanwhile, carefully separate the meat from the bones (discard). Place the fish in a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter.
- Once the sauce has reduced to half, add the olive oil in increments and stir in. Simmer until sauce is has thickened. Adjust with salt, add more lemon if needed.
- Pour sauce over the fish and top with chopped chives and serve with crusty country bread.
Notes
- A fish head and a couple of fish steaks will work very well in this recipe. I used whole sea bream but whole european sea bass or two or three grouper steaks will work very well.
