Petrale Napoleons with Ratatouille Confit
Here, sole fillets are layered with ratatouille, then more ratatouille is pureed to make a sauce. The ratatouille can be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead. Sautéed spinach is a good accompaniment.
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, (1/2 lb.), unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 tsp. sugar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbs. tomato paste
- 3 Tbs. each chopped fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 petrale or lemon sole fillets, each about 5 oz.
- 1 tsp. olive oil
Directions
Heat a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the eggplant, onion and herbes de Provence and sauté until just tender, about 15 minutes. Push the vegetables to one side and coat the pan again with nonstick cooking spray. Add the bell pepper and stir to combine with the vegetables in the pan. Season with sugar, salt and pepper and continue cooking until the bell pepper is tender, about 8 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste, cover and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in 1 Tbs. each of the basil and parsley, and taste and adjust the seasonings.
In a blender, combine 3/4 cup of the eggplant mixture and the broth. Blend until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan. Place the remaining eggplant mixture in another saucepan.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 Tbs. each basil and parsley. Season the sole fillets with salt and pepper. Press the herbs onto 1 side of each fillet. Heat a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the fillets, herb sides down, and cook until golden, 2 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until the fillets feel firm, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, place the saucepans holding the sauce and the ratatouille over low heat and reheat gently. Stir the olive oil into the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
The fillets will separate in half at their natural seam. Place one-half of each fillet on a warmed individual plate. Top each fillet half with one-fourth of the ratatouille. Top with the second half of each fillet. Spoon the sauce around the stacked fish. Serve hot.
In a blender, combine 3/4 cup of the eggplant mixture and the broth. Blend until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan. Place the remaining eggplant mixture in another saucepan.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 Tbs. each basil and parsley. Season the sole fillets with salt and pepper. Press the herbs onto 1 side of each fillet. Heat a large nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the fillets, herb sides down, and cook until golden, 2 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until the fillets feel firm, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, place the saucepans holding the sauce and the ratatouille over low heat and reheat gently. Stir the olive oil into the sauce and season with salt and pepper.
The fillets will separate in half at their natural seam. Place one-half of each fillet on a warmed individual plate. Top each fillet half with one-fourth of the ratatouille. Top with the second half of each fillet. Spoon the sauce around the stacked fish. Serve hot.
Serves 4.