Broiled Shad With Shad Roe Mousse
This elegant recipe combines the delicate flavors of shad roe with a creamy mousse for a sophisticated dish that is as beautiful as it is delicious. The roe is gently simmered in a flavorful mixture before being blended with honey, herbs, and lemon juice to create a luscious mousse. The fillets are broiled to perfection, resulting in a crispy exterior that complements the creamy mousse. Each bite is a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, making this dish a true culinary masterpiece.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 sweet white wine, such as muscadine, Sauternes, or oloroso Sherry
- 1/3 cider vinegar
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 turmeric
- 1 shad roe (2 lobes, 10 to 12 ounces total), each lobe split down the middle
- 1 1/2 honey
- 2 finely chopped bright, tender herbs, such as dill, basil, and mint
- 2 freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 fresh lemon juice (about 1 small), plus 2 lemons, cut into wedges, for garnish
- 1/3 heavy cream
- 3 large egg whites
- Unsalted butter for greasing the bowl
- 1 1/2 flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
- 2 (14-ounce) skin-on shad fillets, scaled, at room temperature
- 2 peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 bunches watercress or pea shoots, for garnish
Instructions
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring wine, 1 cup of water, the vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and the turmeric to a boil. Turn the heat to medium, add the split roes, and simmer for 6 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until the roes are just cooked through.
- Drain the roes with a mesh strainer and, when cool enough to handle, break them up into a large bowl, discarding any large bits of membrane. With a rubber spatula, blend in the honey, the herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with additional salt and black pepper, if needed.
- Whip the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form and fold it into the roe mixture with a rubber spatula. Whip the egg whites until nearly stiff in a separate bowl and fold into the roe mixture with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Transfer the roe mixture to a buttered stainless-steel mixing bowl and put the bowl in a deep roasting pan filled with about 2 inches of hot tap water. Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, until the mousse has firmed and slightly darkened on top (the surface will appear dry and toasty brown). Remove the bowl from the water bath to a warm place on the kitchen counter, near the stove.
- Turn on the broiler, making sure there is a rack positioned about 4 inches from the heat.
- Sprinkle the flaky sea salt and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper evenly over both sides of the fillets, with slightly more of the seasoning applied to the skin sides. Pour the oil into a large cast-iron skillet and coat the entire surface with the oil. Lay the shad fillets in the pan side by side, skin side up, and center the skillet under the broiler, allowing the fish to cook until the skin is well blistered and blackened all over, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven to the stove-top while you ready an oval serving platter.
- Using two spatulas, remove from the pan and center the least attractive fillet, skin side up, on the platter. Then spoon a layer of mousse, slightly thicker than the fillet itself, over the fillet. Transfer the most attractive fillet, also skin side up, on top of the mousse layer to create a sandwich. The mousse will begin to spread out under the weight of the top fillet, which is fine. Apply a final dollop of mousse on top as garnish and decorate the perimeter of the platter with watercress and lemon wedges.
- After presenting the platter, cut the sandwich crosswise into six portions with a large serrated knife. With a pie server or spatula, transfer each portion to a serving plate, and garnish with a tuft of watercress and a couple of lemon wedges.
- Reprinted with permission from The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, copyright 2013. Published by Clarkson Potter.
Yield
6 servings
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