Tench Stewed with Wine is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of tench that's filleted and rolled before being part-cooked in salted water and finished in a mix of stock and wine. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Tench Stewed with Wine.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
335. INGREDIENTS.—1/2 pint of stock No. 105, 1/2 pint of Madeira or sherry, salt and pepper to taste, 1 bay-leaf, thickening of butter and flour.
Mode.—Clean and crimp the tench; carefully lay it in a stewpan with the stock, wine, salt and pepper, and bay-leaf; let it stew gently for 1/2 hour; then take it out, put it on a dish, and keep hot. Strain the liquor, and thicken it with butter and flour kneaded together, and stew for 5 minutes. If not perfectly smooth, squeeze it through a tammy, add a very little cayenne, and pour over the fish. Garnish with balls of veal forcemeat.
Time.—Rather more than 1/2 hour.
Seasonable from October to June.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
4 tench
salt (55g per 500ml boiling water)
300ml medium stock
300ml Madeira or sherry
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1 bayleaf
2 tbsp butter mixed to a smooth paste with 1 tbsp plain flour (for use as a thickening)
cayenne pepper, to serve
Method:
Clean and scale the tench then remove the skin, fillet and cut the fillets into slices. Roll these and tie securely with string. Bring a pan of water to a boil and add 55g salt per 500ml water. Add the fish and boil for about 5 minutes, or until part done.
Transfer the tench to a fresh pan (discard the salt water) then pour over the stock and wine. Add the bayleaf then season to taste with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and stew gently for 30 minutes. Remove the fish and set aside to keep warm.
Strain the cooking liquid into a fresh pan then whisk in the thickening until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add a dash of cayenne pepper then arrange the fish on a serving plate, pour over the sauce and serve.
If desired, garnish with balls of cooked veal forcemeat.
