Ramp Wrapped Flounder, Gold Beets and Cilantro Pesto

As I was picking up my tomato seedlings at Verrill Farm, I stopped by the farm stand, more like a farm tent. They had a very small selection, which is what attracted me to take a quick look. I assumed small equals homegrown or local. I am glad I looked. Freshly pulled parsnips, fiddleheads, bok choy, spinach, asparagus, and of course, ramps. My interest in ramps as of late is due to a dish at Chef's Table at L'Espalier. Specifically, ramp leaf wrapped halibut served with pungent lobster roe butter. I've been looking forward to recreating this at home. Now ramps in hand, I stopped by the Whole Food. No halibut! I grabbed flounder fillets. Although not the same, this is as close as I could come. I was so excited debating when I would actually have time to make this that I forgot lobster, thus I changed the dish quite significantly.

Baked or steamed gold beets, peeled (warm) and sliced thinly
5 ramp leaves, separated from the stalks
1/2 lb of skinless flounder fillets
4 slivers of butter, unsalted

Sauce
1/4 cup of cilantro, blended into a paste
1/4 cup of pine nuts
1/2 tsp walnut oil
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
5 ramp stalks, separated from the leaves, finely sliced
1/4 tsp sugar
dash of cayenne powder
salt, to taste

Arrange the sliced beets on a plate and scoop some of the sauce over them. Let stand and marinate as you prepare the fish. Lay out ramp leaves overlapping them to make the "wrapper". Salt a fish fillet on both sides and lay it atop the leaves. Place a couple of thin slivers of butter on top of the fish, and roll leaves over the fillet to wrap. Secure with toothpicks on both ends. This isn't really necessary, but I wasn't sure how this was going to hold up after steaming. Place in a steamer for 4 minutes. Serve immediately on top of the beets.

Comments

FK said…
This looks very yummy.

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