BAKED FLOUNDER WITH WILD RICE, LEEK, AND MUSHROOM STUFFING AND LEMON CHIVE BEURRE BLANC

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Casseroles|Gluten-free|Seafood

Ingredients

The Rice Stuffing:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup leeks, white and light green parts chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped into ½” pieces

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 ½ cups cooked wild rice

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

The Beurre Blanc Sauce:

3 tablespoons leeks, chopped fine

¼ cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup heavy cream

10 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pats

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons chives, chopped

The Fish:

8 large flounder or fluke filets, about 1 ½-2 pounds

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

To make the wild rice stuffing, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the mushrooms to the pan and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes more, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms begin to lightly brown. Add the wine to the pan and cook, stirring, until the wine is absorbed. Add the rice, salt, and black pepper to the pan and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature while you prepare the sauce.

To make the beurre blanc, combine the leeks, wine, vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil. Let cook for 4-5 minutes until only about 3 tablespoons of liquid remains. Add the heavy cream and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat. Whisk the cold butter into the sauce, one pat at a time, until all are incorporated, and a thick glossy sauce has formed. Stir in the salt, pepper, and chives. Cover and set aside at the back of the stove. Do not put over direct heat or the sauce will break.

To prepare the fish, lay the filets flat/bottom side up on a cutting board. Season the filets evenly with the salt and pepper and top each with a layer of spinach leaves. Divide the cooled stuffing into 8 equal parts. Take each part and squeeze together in your hands to form a a football shape. Place each in the center of one filet, on top of the spinach, and fold the ends over the stuffing in the middle.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in 9” x 13” baking dish and spread with your fingers to coat the bottom. Place the stuffed flounder rolls, seam-side-down, in the oiled baking dish. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the fish.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the fish is tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve the stuffed fish hot and ladle the beurre blanc generously over the top. Garnish with more chives. Serve with vegetable of choice on the side – I love baby beets, asparagus, or pea pods.

Serves 4-6