I know I have probably posted about Flounder Francaise before but this time I am doing a combo Francaise and Almondine. After reading about how good almonds are for glucose control I have made a resolution to use as many nuts in cooking as I can get away with.
Plus, I JUST LOVE ALMONDS. They are so mellow, they stay crunchy even when this, and go with just about everything. Baked brie with almonds, Trout Almondine, Almond-Carrot Paté, Almond & Chocolate Ice Cream.....etc, etc.
Great with chicken, perfect with green beans, wonderful on desserts and a Mandarin Almond Salad is to die for.. I always keep a huge container in my freezer.
I bought green beans to pair with the almonds so why not make a Flounder Almondine. One pot wonder, 30 minute meal and healthy. I am using ICBINB instead of the butter and my favorite Francaise coating, straight from Rome.
Most dishes are made better by small tweaks and as Ina says, the volume turned up. I am turning up the volume big time tonight. This sauce is extreme lemon so if you are not like me a prefer something with just a hint of lemon, use chicken stock.
In a non-stick skillet, I melted some butter sub and tossed a handful of frozen French beans in. Once the moisture evaporated I threw in a tablespoon of Frangelica (a hazelnut liquor but you could use Amaretto) and cooked until the beans started to caramelize around the edges. Remove to a bowl. Wipe out the pan and add 1/3 cup sliced almonds. Toss over high heat until they brown. Remove to another bowl.
Make the fish coating, and just before you are ready to eat, melt a teaspoon butter sub and olive oil until it is rippling. Season the fillets with salt & pepper and coat the fillets on both sides with the egg mixture. Saute until the edges brown (about 2 minutes), flip over and repeat. Remove cooked fillets to a platter and repeat until all the fish is cooked.
Now we make the sauce. I add white wine and lemon juice to the skillet and simmer until it just starts to thicken then I add the almonds and a pat of unsalted butter. Butter subs are wonderful but they contain a lot of water and not what we want as an emulsifier.
Right before serving, I place the fillets back into the pan and simmer with the sauce to heat the fish.
Place a fillet on each plate, spoon the green beans over each fillet and then spoon the sauce.
You could serve this with rice or roasted potatoes but we prefer to do this carb free.You could be neater with the green beans and serve them on the side but by spooning them over the fillets you will use less sauce and that's a good thing.
Flounder Francaise Almondine
makes 4 servings - 1 fillet per
* 4 (6oz) flounder fillets
* 1/2 batch egg coating
* 1/4 cup sliced almonds
* 3 teaspoons butter sub (I use ICBINB)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 cup green beans
* 1/4 cup white wine
* 2 tablespoons (1 lemon) lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon nut liquor (Frangelica or Amaretto)
* Salt & pepper to taste
* 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1. Melt 1 teaspoon butter sub in a non-stick skillet and saute the green beans until the edges start to crisp. Add the liquor and cook to evaporate. Remove beans to a bowl.
3. Wipe out skillet and toss in the almonds. Toast, stirring often, until they are lightly brown. Remove to bowl with green beans.
4. Dip fillet into egg coating and saute in a non-stick skillet that has 1 teaspoon both butter sub and olive oil.
5. Saute on both side until the edges brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a warmed platter and repeat with all the fillets adding another teaspoon of both butter sub and evoo.
6. In the same pan add the wine and lemon juice (and stock if using) and simmer till it starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Add the almonds and fillets to the sauce and heat. Spoon the beans on top and serve one fillet per person. Add a pat of butter to the sauce right before spooning over the fillets.
