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Michel Roux Jr’s fish velouté

By: Michel Roux Jr

Published: 22 May 13
Updated: 25 Mar 24

This fish velouté recipe is direct from culinary legend Michel Roux Jr, who oversees the food at five-star hotel The Langham, London and headed up much-garlanded restaurant Le Gavroche for over 30 years. Here he shares a perfect wine and cream fish sauce with us, which you can enjoy with sole, cod, monkfish or oily fish.

“This is a white velouté (velvety) sauce that’s just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. It’s thickened by evaporating liquid (reduction is the cheffy term) and by the addition of cream. It’s the cornerstone of many fish sauces,” says Michell.

Scroll down to the Tips for our favourite way to use this recipe with pan-fried dover sole…

Want to learn more from Michel Roux Jr? The chef also oversees cookery school Sauce by The Langham in London, where he hosts exclusive masterclasses.

Easy
May 2013

Test kitchen approved

Makes 300ml
Hands-on time 20 minutes

Scroll down to the Tips for our favourite way to use this recipe with pan-fried dover sole…

Want to learn more from Michel Roux Jr? The chef also oversees cookery school Sauce by The Langham in London, where he hosts exclusive masterclasses.

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Ingredients

50g button mushrooms, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely sliced
100ml dry white wine
300ml good-quality fresh fish stock
300ml double cream
Lemon juice to taste (optional)

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Method

In a heavy-based pan, gently fry the sliced mushrooms and shallots over a low heat in the butter until tender but not coloured (see Tips)
Add the wine, increase the heat and boil until the liquid is almost all evaporated, then add the stock and boil until reduced by half. Add the cream and boil until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pass through a fine sieve, pressing the mushrooms and shallots wiht the back of a spoon to extract all the flavour. Season and salt and pepper, adding a little lemon juice if necessary.

Recipe from May 2013 Issue

delicious. tips

And here’s how to use it…

Pan-fried sole with fish velouté
1 tsbp olive oil
2 dover sole, trimmed, dark skin removed – ask your fishmonger
25g unsalted butter
½ quantity of fish velouté (freeze the rest – see left)
Lemon wedges to serve

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the fish, then cook, skinned-side down, for 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn each fishover with a fish slice and fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the butter to the pan. Once it’s melted, spoon it over the fish. Remove to a 2 warmed plates to rest for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm the velouté, then pour it over the fish (or serve it in a jug on the side). Serve with lemon wedges and steamed baby new potatoes, if you like.
Freeze in portion sizes in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
To add a different flavour, try varying the type of wine used in the sauce. A vermouth or even a sweet wine will give a delicate, sweet and sour flavour. A splash of pastis and some chopped fresh dill would be delicious with cod or monkfish and a little added Dijon mustard would eb perfect for an oily fish such as mackerel.