SHALLOW POACHING INSTRUCTIONS, BEURRE BLANC AND SAUCE VIN BLANC
Source: The Professional Chef by The Culinary Institute of America, 2011
Shallow poaching, like sauteing and grilling, is an a la minute technique. Foods are cooked in a combination of steam and simmering liquid. Shallow-poached foods are partially submerged in liquid, which often contains an acid (wine or lemon juice). Aromatics, such as shallots and herbs, are added for more flavor. Cover the pan to capture some of the steam released by the liquid during cooking.
A significant amount of flavor is transferred from the food to the cooking liquid. For maximum flavor, the cooking liquid (cuisson) is usually reduced and used as the base for a sauce. The acids give the sauce a bright, balanced flavor. Butter can be easily emulsified in the sauce; beurre blanc is often the sauce of choice for shallow-poached foods.
As for steaming, naturally tender foods of a size and shape that allow for quick cooking work best. Fish, shellfish, and chicken breasts are among the most common options for this cooking method. Trim the main item as appropriate. Remove bones or skin from fish to make fillets or from poultry to make supremes or boneless, skinless breast portions. Fish fillets may be rolled or folded around a stuffing to form paupiettes (see page 411), with the bone side of the fish showing on the exterior. Remove shellfish from the shell, if desired.
The poaching liquid contributes flavor to the food as well as to the sauce prepared from it. Choose rich broths or stocks and add wine, vinegar, or citrus juice as appropriate.
Cut aromatics fine or mince them. Other ingredients to be served along with the sauce as a garnish should be cut neatly into strips, dice, julienne, or chiffonade. These ingredients are often sweated or parcooked first to develop the best possible flavor as well as to make certain that all parts of the fi nished dish are fully cooked at the same time. The sauce may be a beurre blanc or sauce vin blanc), or simply the reduced cooking liquids. Refer to specifi c recipes for additional suggestions or guidance.
Use a sautoir or other shallow cooking vessel, such as a hotel pan, to shallow poach. Select the pan or baking dish carefully; if there is too much or too little space left around the food, it may over- or undercook, or there may be too much or too little liquid for the sauce. Buttered or oiled parchment paper or a loose-fitting lid is used to cover the pan loosely as the food cooks. It traps enough of the steam to cook the unexposed part of the food, but not so much that the cooking speed rises. You may require a strainer for the sauce. You will also need utensils for handling the poached food, such as a slotted spatula, and heated plates for service.
BASIC FORMULA:
Shallow Poaching (1 entree portion)
1 portion (4 to 6 oz/113 to 170 g) boneless, skinless fish or chicken breast
1 oz/28 g butter
1⁄2 oz/14 g shallots
1 fl oz/30 mL white wine and 1 fl oz/30 mL white stock, according to the portion being cooked
Salt and other seasonings for both the food and the poaching liquid
Additional finishing ingredients, including prepared sauce and garnishes
METHOD AT-A-GLANCE:
1. Heat butter in a sauteuse.
2. Smother the aromatics in the pan and make a level bed.
3. Add the main item and the poaching liquid.
4. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
5. Cover the sautoir with parchment paper.
6. Finish the food over direct heat or in an oven.
7. Remove the main item, moisten it, and keep it warm.
8. Reduce the cuisson and prepare a sauce as desired.
9. Serve the main item with the sauce and the appropriate garnish.
EXPERT TIPS:
To develop additional flavor, choose well-seasoned poaching liquids: Stock/Broth/Wine/Sauces
A cuisson can also be used in a way that does not require reduction but as a broth-type liquid in which to serve the main item. This method is sometimes referred to as "a la nage."
Depending on the desired result, the cooking liquid can be used to create a sauce to finish the poached item.
TO MAKE A BEURRE BLANC: Reduce the cooking liquid until it is syrupy. It may be strained into a separate pot at this point, if desired. With the reduced cooking liquid at a simmer, add pieces of cold butter a few at a time. Keep the pan in motion as you add the butter, swirling it into the sauce as it melts.
TO MAKE A SAUCE VIN BLANC: Reduce the cooking liquid and add the desired aromatics and an appropriately flavored veloute. Strain the sauce if necessary and finish with cream or a liaison and any additional garnishes.
For more information about preparing sauces for shallow-poached items, refer to specific recipes.
1. Make sure the level of the liquid goes no higher than one-third to halfway up the food; generally, less is required. If too much liquid is used, either a great deal of time will be needed to reduce it properly or only part of it will be usable in the sauce.
Lightly butter a shallow pan and add aromatics to give the cooking liquid and finished sauce a good flavor. If the aromatics can cook completely in the time required, they can be added raw; otherwise, cook them separately beforehand by sweating lightly in the butter.
Season and place the main item on top of the aromatics, then pour the liquid around the item. It is not necessary in most cases to preheat the liquid, though for large quantities, it may be helpful to do so. Be careful not to bring it to a full boil. (see image below)
2. Cover the paupiettes with buttered parchment paper (cartouche) before putting them in the oven. It is best to finish poaching foods in the oven because oven heat is more even and gentle than direct heat. It also frees burner space for other purposes.
Bring the liquid up to poaching temperature (160 to 180 degrees F/71 to 82 degrees C) over direct heat, loosely covered with parchment paper, and finish in a moderate oven. On some occasions, however, it is preferable to perform the entire cooking operation in the oven. The quantity of food prepared and the available equipment will dictate what is most logical. Do not allow the liquid to boil at any time. A rapid boil will cook the food too quickly, affecting the quality of the dish, and may cause all of the liquid to evaporate from the pan, possibly scorching the protein. (see image below)
3. Cook shallow-poached foods until just done. Fish and shellfish should appear opaque and feel slightly firm; the flesh of oysters, clams, and mussels should curl around the edges. Chicken suprêmes should appear opaque and offer slight resistance when pressed with a fingertip.
Transfer the paupiettes to a holding dish and moisten with a small amount of the cooking liquid to keep them from drying out while the sauce is prepared. Cover the food tightly to hold in the heat and prevent dehydration. Add the additional ingredients for the sauce to the cooking liquid as directed in the recipe. When well prepared, shallow-poached dishes reflect the flavor of both the food and the cooking liquid, and the sauce adds a rich, complementary flavor. In general, foods appear moist, opaque, and relatively light in color. Fish should not have deposits of white albumin, which indicates that it has been overcooked or cooked too quickly. Properly cooked shallow-poached foods are very tender and exceptionally moist. And because this technique is most often used with delicate foods, they have an almost fragile texture. If they are falling apart or dry, however, they have been overcooked. (see image below)
4. Simmer the cooking liquid (cuisson) over direct heat to concentrate the flavor and thicken the liquid. A prepared fish velouté has been added to the reduced cuisson here. Other options include reduced cream, vegetable purees, or butter. (see image below)
