Weekly Recipe: Tilapia with Champagne Beurre Blanc by Chef Majk

In the warm afternoons of spring and summer, nothing is better than a fresh fish dish.

This week’s recipe features fresh Tiliapia and Champagne Beurre Blanc by Chef Majk. The fine dining YouTube chef formally worked for two-time Michelin star-winning eatery Restaurant Story in London, as well as the city's modern French restaurant Orrery. He teaches home cooks the techniques and plating skills necessary to wow the classiest of customers—your family.

Beurre Blanc, a typical french sauce made of emulsified butter, gets a sparkling addition in Chef Majk’s version. On top of the typical white wine vinegar and shallots, he adds champagne for a bubbly yet smooth finish. With an added scoop of caviar, this recipe screams luxury.

See also: Weekly Recipe: Chocolate Hummus by Chef Loay Alhindi

Paired with stuffed leeks and the pan-seared Tilapia, this sauce perfectly complements the lighter elements of the dish. The finishing touch of home-made spinach crisp adds yet another layer of texture, but the true star of the dish is its plating. Majk uses a large, round, dark plate so the colors of the sauce, fish and leeks can shine through.

While the recipe itself may be devoid of some measurements, follow along with Chef Majk’s video for the ultimate Tilapia-at-home recipe below and turn your dining room a Michelin-star experience.

Ingredients:

• 1 filet of Tilapia
• 1 leek
• 3 small shallots
• 1 glass of champagne
• White wine vinegar
• A pinch of peppercorns
• 2 Bay leaves
• About 3 tbsp of butter
• Ricotta
• Spinach
• 1 spoonful of caviar
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

*Chef Majk does not add measurements to his video recipe. These are estimates.

Preparation:

Spinach Crisps

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180º C.
2. Grab about 10-12 spinach leaves. Cover each leaf individually with olive oil and place onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and place the baking sheet into the oven for 12 minutes.
3. Turn off the oven and leave the spinach in for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Take out and let cool.

Champagne Beurre Blanc

1. Thinly peel and chop the three shallots.
2. In a pot, combine the shallots, champagne, white wine vinegar, peppercorns and bay leaves, and leave on medium heat.
3. Once simmering, let sauce reduce on low heat.
4. Once reduced, add cubes of cold butter and continue whisking until the sauce has thickened. Whisk continuously to prevent the sauce from separating.
5. Sieve sauce and set aside. The final sauce should coat the back of your spoon.
6. Add a spoonful of caviar and mix well.

Spinach and ricotta-stuffed leek rolls

1. Roast about 2 cups of spinach on a hot pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Mix cooked spinach with about 1 cup of ricotta cheese. Place into piping bag.
3. In a pot of boiling water, briefly cook the leek.
4. Once ready, carefully separate each of the layers from the leek. In the most structurally-strong layers, fill the leek with the spinach and ricotta filling.
5. Cut the remainder of the leek into 1 to 2-inch tubes to use as a garnish.
6. Place the stuffed leek in steamer and let steam until Tilapia is done cooking.

Pan-fried Tilapia

1. Cut Tilapia filet into a rectangle. After patting dry with a paper towel, season on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. On a hot pan, add olive oil. Once sizzling, add the fish filet and a spring onion. Cook until golden brown, and then flip slides.

Plating

1. Plate the Tilapia, leek roll, roasted spring onion, and scoop a spoonful of the champagne beurre blanc. Top with spinach crisps, and enjoy!

For more, follow Chef Majk on Instagram.