Horseradish-crusted grouper with old-fashioned mashed po pt1

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
20 Chives cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup Canola oil
For the grouper and crust
A; (4- to 5-inch) piece
; of fresh
; horseradish
2½ cup Crumbs from dry French bread; (crust included)
1 tablespoon Chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh thyme
½ cup Milk
2 Eggs
Seasoned flour; (2 cup flour, 1 1/2
; teaspoon salt, 3/4
; teaspoon freshly
; ground pepper)
6 Grouper fillets; 7 ounce each (or
; halibut, sole, or
; red snapper)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil; for cooking
4 Medium-sized leeks; (1-inch
; circumference)
Fine fresh peanut oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt; plus more for
; seasoning the
; potatoes
2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes; (or baking
; potatoes), peeled
; and quartered
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Stick unsalted butter; diced (4 ounce)
2 cups Hot milk; more if necessary

Directions

FOR THE CHIVE OIL

FOR THE CRISP JULIENNE OF LE

FOR THE MASHED POTATOES

Preparing the Chive Oil:

Pure'e the chives and oil in an electric blender until very smooth.

Refrigerate in a squeeze bottle or covered jar, where it will keep for about 2 weeks.

The Crust:

Remove the peel from a portion of the horseradish and rub the peeled area through the coarse side of a grater. Turn ¾ cup of the grated horseradish into a flat dish with the crumbs and mix in the herbs. Whisk the milk and eggs together and pour into a second dish. Spread the seasoned flour in a third dish.

Coating the Fish:

It is the top side of the fish that gets the coating because the top has a more attractive shape; this is the side where the bone--not the skin--was.

Season this side of each fillet with salt and pepper. Dredge this top side only in the flour shaking off the excess; coat the same side with the eggs and milk, and finally drop into the crumb mixture, pressing firmly to make sure it adheres. Set on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cooking time.

Preparing the Crisp Julienne of Leeks Garnish: Cut the root end off the leeks and cut the white part into 3½-inch lengths. Halve lengthwise, and cut into fine julienne. Drop into cold water, leave a moment, lift out with your hands (leaving any sand behind), and gently squeeze out excess water; fluff up. Heat 2 inches of peanut oil to 325 degrees in a frying pan and drop in the leeks. Let them cook slowly, until the bubbling stops, about 5 minutes. Remove with a skimmer and drain on paper toweling. The leeks do not brown; they remain light and crisp, with a hint of sweetness.

The Mashed Potatoes:

Preheat the oven 300 degrees. Bring 4-qts. of water to the boil in a kettle and add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt. Add the potatoes and boil slowly for about 20 minutes, until just tender. Drain the potatoes thoroughly, place on a baking pan, and set uncovered in the oven to dry out, shaking and tossing several times. Remove the potatoes from the oven and pure'e through a vegetable mill into a large saucepan (Chef Patrick prefers the vegetable mill to the potato ricer). Season with salt and pepper, then begin beating in pieces of butter with a wooden spoon, alternating with little additions of hot milk. Check seasoning, and keep warm in a double boiler with cover ajar--it needs air circulation. Cooking the Fish:

continued in part 2

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