Some kind of impressive roast is usually the highlight of a festive table, but we dare you to be different. Why not try something lighter for a summer celebration? White fish with a white wine sauce is just about the most elegant and classic you can go. Serve with beautiful glasses of our recently released 2020 Culinaria Chenin Blanc.  

Fish with white wine sauce

Ingredients

For the fish

4 x 150 g white fish fillets, skinless, boneless

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the white wine sauce

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups Classic Leopard’s Leap Chenin Blanc

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 pinch salt

1 pinch pepper

1 pinch white sugar

1 cup double thick cream

2 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1 cm cubes

Garnish optional

2 tsp finely chopped parsley

Method

Preheat oven to 50°C. Place rack over a tray.

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large non stick frying pan over medium high heat. Cook fish in two batches until golden, 2 minutes on each side. Place fish on rack, and place in the oven to keep warm.

Add onion, white wine, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar to the pan. Bring to simmer and reduce by half (about 3 minutes).

Add cream, simmer for 2 minutes.

Turn heat to low and add cold butter one cube at a time while mixing with wooden spoon. Once all the butter is incorporated, the sauce should be thickened, satiny and beautifully glossy.

Place fish back into the pan in the sauce. Spoon some sauce over the fish, leave for 30 seconds.

Transfer fish onto serving plates. Spoon sauce over each fish, sprinkled with parsley if desired.