Poached Fish With Champagne Vegetables - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, (1/4 cup diced and frozen)
4 None shallots, peeled and finely diced
6 cups sauerkraut
2 None cloves
5 None juniper berries
1 None bay leaf
2 cups champagne
2/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
3/4 lb salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 pieces
3/4 lb monkfish fillet (or cod or haddock), cut into 4 pieces
4 None sole fillets (about 1 1/4 lbs), rolled up and secured with toothpicks
1 2/3 cups fish stock
1/2 cup vermouth
1 None carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
2/3 cup fresh tarragon, chopped

Preparation

Melt 1/8 cup butter in a saucepan and saute half the shallots until softened. Add the sauerkraut, cloves, juniper berries and bay leaf and saute for 2 mins. Add 1 2/3 cups champagne and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
Stir in the creme fraiche or sour cream and cook, uncovered, for 5-10 mins, until the mixture begins to thicken. Season with salt, black pepper and a pinch of sugar. Keep warm.
Season the fish with salt and black pepper. Melt 1/8 cup butter in another saucepan and saute the remaining shallots until softened. Pour in the fish stock, vermouth and remaining champagne, bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 mins, until reduced by half. Add the fish and carrot, cover and simmer over a low heat for 6 mins.
Remove the fish and carrot along with a little stock from the pan and keep warm. Puree the remaining fish stock in a blender. Return to the pan and heat through. Gradually whisk in the frozen butter pieces. Season with salt and black pepper.
Arrange the fish, carrot and sauerkraut on plates. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle with the tarragon.