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Pompano Fillets With Shrimp And Crab Baked In Parchment Paper
(Pompano En Papillote)
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| What You Need: |
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1 pound fish trimmings: the heads, tails and bones of any firm white fish
3 cups water
2 medium-sized onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium-sized bay leaf, crumbled
6 whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened, plus
5 tablespoons butter, cut into small bits, plus 4 teaspoons butter, melted
4 eight-ounce pompano fillets, or substitute 4 eight-ounce sole or flounder fillets
½ cup dry white wine
½ pound uncooked small shrimp, preferably river shrimp (see Glossary)
¼ cup finely chopped scallions, including 3 inches of the green tops
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, preferably the flat-leaf Italian variety
¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper (cayenne)
¼ pound freshly cooked, frozen or canned crabmeat, thoroughly drained and picked over to remove all bits of shell and cartilage
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Combine the fish trimmings and water in a 3- to 4-quart enameled sauce-pan and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam and scum as they rise to the surface. Add the onions, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
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2. Then strain the fish stock through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing the trimmings and seasonings with the back of a spoon to extract all their juices before discarding the bones and pulp. Set the stock aside.
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3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a pastry brush, spread 1 tablespoon of the softened butter evenly over the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish. Cut a piece of wax paper to fit over the dish and brush one side of the paper with 1 tablespoon of softened butter.
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4. Place the fish fillets in the buttered dish and pour the reserved stock and the wine over them. Cover the dish loosely with the buttered paper and bake in the middle of the oven for 5 minutes, or until the fillets feel firm when prodded gently with a finger. With a large metal spatula, transfer the fish to a platter. Measure the stock remaining in the baking dish and reserve 1½ cup. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
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5. Meanwhile, shell the shrimp. Unless you are using the river variety, devein the shrimp by making a shallow incision down their backs with a small sharp knife and lifting out the intestinal vein with the point of the knife. If the shrimp are over 1 inch long, cut them into pieces. Wash the shrimp briefly in a colander and pat them dry with paper towels.
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6. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter bits in a small skillet set over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the shrimp and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are pink and firm to the touch. Set the shrimp aside off the heat.
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7. Cut out four paper hearts about 11 inches long and 15 inches wide and brush one side with melted butter. Set the hearts aside.
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8. In a heavy 1- to 1½-quart saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter bits over moderate heat. Add the scallions and parsley and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, until they are soft but not brown. Add the flour and mix well.
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9. Then, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, pour in the reserved 1½ cups of stock in a slow, thin stream and cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil, thickens and is smooth. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and red pepper, and taste for seasoning.
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10. To assemble each "pompano en papillote", place a fish fillet on one side of a paper heart and cover the fillet with about ¼ cup of shrimp and ¼ cup of crabmeat. Spoon the sauce over the top, dividing it equally among the four portions.
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11. Fold over the exposed side of the paper so that the edges of paper meet. Starting at the upper end of the fold, seal the edges by crimping them at about ½-inch intervals.
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12. Before crimping the bottom point of the heart, open the seam slightly and blow through the hole to inflate the papillote. Then quickly crimp the bottom point closed.
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13. Brush a large baking sheet with the remaining tablespoon of softened butter and place the papillotes on it. Bake in the middle of the preheated 450°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. The paper should turn a golden brown. Serve the papillotes at once, opening the paper at the table.
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