Waterzooi de Poisson — Flemish Cream and Egg Fish Stew

Ingredients

• 150 g leek, cut into fine julienne
• 150 g celery, cut into fine julienne
• 150 g carrot, cut into fine julienne
• 150 g onion, cut into fine julienne
• 50 g unsalted butter, for sweating the vegetables
• 800 g mixed firm fish, turbot, monkfish, sole, or pike — at least 3 species, cut into serving pieces
• 500 ml fish fumet
• 200 ml dry white wine
• 1 bouquet garni, bay leaf, thyme, parsley stalks
• For the liaison
• 3 egg yolks
• 200 ml double cream
• To finish
• 30 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chervil, finely chopped

Method

1. 1
   Melt 50 g butter in a wide, heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the julienned leek, celery, carrot, and onion. Sweat gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, without allowing any colour to develop. The vegetables are ready when they are completely softened yet still hold their shape and remain entirely pale.
2. 2
   Add the fish fumet, dry white wine, and bouquet garni. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then reduce to maintain a temperature of 80 °C. Add the mixed fish pieces and poach for 10–12 minutes. The fish is done when it yields just to light pressure and is opaque through to its centre. Remove the fish carefully to warm, deep ceramic bowls; leave the vegetables and broth in the pan.
3. 3
   Whisk the 3 egg yolks and 200 ml double cream together in a bowl until smooth. Temper the liaison by adding 3–4 ladles of the hot broth to the bowl one ladle at a time, whisking constantly after each addition. The mixture should feel warm — not hot — to the touch before it is returned to the pan. This is where the dish lives or dies: pour the tempered liaison back into the broth over the lowest possible heat, stirring gently and continuously. Monitor the temperature; it must not exceed 82 °C. The broth is ready when it has turned slightly opaque and coats the back of a spoon with a light, silky film.
4. 4
   Remove the pan from the heat. Add the 30 g cold butter in pieces, stirring until each is absorbed. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the chopped parsley and chervil. Taste; the broth should be delicately creamy with a clean herbal finish and a faint anise note from the chervil. Ladle the vegetables and broth over the fish in the bowls. Serve immediately with crusty bread.