Fish Florentine I Bhetki Florentine

It was a fog-laced chilly winter morning when S had suggested we head for breakfast to one of his favourite haunts in town.
And what place is this ? A curious me had enquired. A hint of sarcasm in my voice. It better be worth getting out of bed so early.
And that had been my first tryst with Flury’s.
And it wouldn’t be exaggeration if I did mention that it was love at first sight.
I don’t particularly recall what he had had for breakfast (I think it was scramble on toast, S nudges) but what is indelible in my memory is sitting by the bay windows, sipping First Flush and watching the procession of life go by unabated on a gloomy December morning – the ancient magazine seller furiously swatting flies, the lady executive dodging the crowds, in a mad rush, lest she miss her 830 am appointment at work, two young boys, in their early teens, desperately trying to sell red roses at the busy junction, ominous policemen threatening aggressive vendors, casual jaywalkers and toxic fume-belching vehicles to not violate traffic rules, an entourage of Japanese tourists, led by a pot-bellied balding middle-aged guide in a garish red tee and ill-fitting jeans, merrily clicking, anything and everything they see.
Park Street is experience, S had mused, an indescribable experience, isn’t she ?

It wasn’t till our next trip to Kolkata that S and I found ourselves queuing up for Sunday lunch at Peter Cat.
Another Calcutta institution, one that’s very close to our hearts, S had confided.
And that had been my first brush with the famed Chelo Kebab.

It took me several more trips to Kolkata to explore the iconic eateries on Park Street.
The delectable fish mayonnaise and prawn thermidor at Moulin Rouge.
The decadent au gratins and sizzlers at Kwality.
The stunning Kung Pao Chicken and Chilli Fish at BarBQ.
The adorable Chicken Tetrazzini and Bhetki Florentine at Mocambo.

And of course S could never stop sulking about the gorgeous Skyroom shutting its doors in the early 1990s to the utter shock and dismay of Calcutta gastronomes.
That Prawn cocktail was divine.
And their Baked Alaska and Black Forest Pudding, that despite how stuffed you were, you always found space for !!!

And there’s something about December that makes us wallow in honey-sweet nostalgia and miss Calcutta – the festivities and celebrations, Nahoums plum cakes and Flurys high teas, Park Street restaurants and lazy time-stop-still lunches.

What about Bhetki Florentine for lunch ? I ask the man.
Couldn’t be any better, he nods in agreement, Fish Florentine Mocambo style.

Fish Florentine. Gorgeous Bhetki steaks. Nestled on a bed of baby spinach. Slathered with a sinful creamy white sauce. Topped with cheese. And baked to a gorgeous golden.
Pure bliss, isn’t it ?

Fish Florentine | Bhetki Florentine

Bhetki Florentine. Gorgeous Bhetki steaks. Nestled on a bed of baby spinach. Slathered with a sinful creamy white sauce. Topped with cheese. And baked to a gorgeous golden.

Pure bliss, isn’t it ?

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine European

Ingredients

  

For the Poached Fish

• 4 steaks of bhetki
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 1/2 tbsp black pepper powder freshly crushed
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the Spinach Bed

• 400 g baby spinach
• 3 tsp butter
• 1/2 tbsp garlic crushed
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the White Sauce

• 2.5 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

To assemble the Bhetki Florentine

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup cheese of your choice I have used gruyere
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp black pepper powder freshly crushed

Instructions

 

For the White Sauce

• Add the butter to a sauté pan, cook over low flame till the butter melts. Add the flour, cook over a medium-flame till the butter is incorporated into the flour.
• Add the hot milk while stirring continuously, ensuring there are no lumps. 2-3 minutes or so.
• Add the cream, give it a hearty mix. Season with salt and pepper.
• Fold in half the grated cheese, give it a gentle mix. Cook for another minute or two. Keep aside.

For the Spinach Bed

• Blanch the baby spinach in boiling salted water for 10-20 seconds, immediately plunge into ice cold water. Keep aside.
• Heat butter in a sauté pan, add the crushed garlic, sauté for a minute for so.
• Drain the blanched spinach from the ice batch, give it a firm squeeze to remove any extra water, throw into the pan. Sauté for a couple of minutes.
• Add half the white sauce. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over a high flame for a couple of more minutes. Keep aside .

For Poaching the Fish Steaks

• Take the water and milk in a deep bottomed pan. Add the black peppercorn, crushed black pepper and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Gently place the fish steaks into the pan, and poach for 4 minutes or so.
• Remove the steaks from the pan. Keep aside.

To assemble the Bhetki Florentine

• Preheat the oven to 200•C.
• Transfer the spinach in white sauce to a greased baking tray. Spread uniformly. Gently place the poached fish over the spinach bed.
• Spoon the remaining white sauce generously over the fish. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top.
• Place the baking tray in the oven, grill for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is a gorgeous golden. Serve with buttered vegetables and roasted potatoes.

Keyword Fish Florentine, Fish Recipes

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