Filets de Poisson Florentine

Ingredients

• 1.2 kilogram fresh spinach, trimmed; central spines removed; cut into broad strips
• 2.70 gram butter, for cooking spinach
• 3.250 millilitre cream, added to spinach a tablespoon at a time
• 4.salt, black pepper, nutmeg, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg; season highly
• 5.56 gram butter, for poaching dish
• 6.1750 gram sole fillets, can also use baby kingklip fillets
• 7.salt and white pepper, to season fish lightly
• 8.500 millilitre white wine, for poaching; should just cover fillets
• 9.42 gram butter, for cheese sauce
• 10.37.5 millilitre flour, for cheese sauce
• 11.250 millilitre fish stock, reduced from poaching liquid
• 12.330 millilitre cream, for cheese sauce; added in two stages
• 13.salt, black pepper, nutmeg, for cheese sauce
• 14.160 millilitre Emmentaler cheese, grated; plus extra for topping

Method

1. 1.STEP ONE — SPINACH: Wash spinach well. Trim and cut out central spine. Cut into broad strips. Blanch for 5 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. Refresh under cold water. SQUEEZE WELL to remove water.
2. 2.Warm butter in pan, add the spinach and cook slowly for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cream, a tablespoon at a time — spinach should absorb each tablespoon or it will become mushy. Season highly with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside. (Spinach can be prepared the day before.)
3. 3.STEP TWO — SOLE: Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a shallow baking dish. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer, overlapping slightly. Pour over the wine — it should just cover the fillets. Lay a piece of buttered wax paper over the fish.
4. 4.Bake for 8–10 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Pour off stock and put fish aside, leaving it covered with the paper. Put stock in a pot over high heat and REDUCE the liquid to 1 cup. (Reducing intensifies the flavour of the stock.)
5. 5.STEP THREE — CHEESE SAUCE: Melt 42g butter in a pot, stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat and pour in the cup of fish stock. Return to boil, stirring all the time. Reduce heat and cook, stirring, until thick and smooth. Add 1 cup of the cream.
6. 6.Return to heat and stir vigorously until it comes to the boil. When smooth, season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat, stir in half the cheese. Add remaining cream, a spoonful at a time, until sauce is desired consistency. Taste and correct seasoning. If you like a cheesy flavour, add the rest of the cheese and stir until melted; if not, use that cheese as a topping when grilling.
7. 7.ALL STEPS CAN BE MADE IN ADVANCE UP TO THIS POINT.
8. 8.STEP FOUR — ASSEMBLY: Preheat the grill. Reheat the spinach. If the sauce was made earlier on and is cold, bring to a simmer, whisking all the time.
9. 9.Spread the spinach in a layer on the dish you will be using to serve from (spinach is used more as a border). Arrange the sole fillets in slightly overlapping layers — fish should fill the centre of the dish. Mask the fish with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with extra grated Emmentaler.
10. 10.Grill 5–6 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Card note on quantities: 'I double the quantity of wine and the butter and divide the fillets between two dishes.'
• Card note on sauce: 'I use all the cheese and grate extra for topping. I also double this sauce.'
• Card note on serving: 'I use about half the sauce to mask the fish and serve the rest on the side.'
• Emmentaler = Swiss Emmental cheese; use any good melting cheese if unavailable.