oven-poached flounder in lemon caper sauce

final flounder 2When I first saw this recipe in the New York Times almost two months ago, I was salivating. It sounded like the perfect, light summery dish — with a white wine reduction, to boot. Who doesn’t love a white wine reduction? I remember the first time I made one: a few summers ago, with sauteed ramps; it was divine.

It sounds complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. A reduction is the result of boiling or cooking down a liquid until it reduces to the consistency of a sauce.  The liquid can be just about anything but is usually a wine or a (veggie, chicken) stock. All you’re doing is evaporating the water from whatever liquid you are using by turning up the heat. It’s kind of amazing, actually, to sit and watch it reduce. Then the taste — my goodness — it instantly intensifies the overall flavor of any sauce.

Need proof? Even B loved it! Check out the photo below: he almost cleared his plate. I always joke that the amount of food he finishes is tantamount to how much he loves me. He hates when I do this. But on this night, we were at about 98% — something I wouldn’t let him forget. The next morning, he finished the breakfast I cooked for him — 100% of it.

What good is food that you can’t guilt someone into eating?

prepping lemon caper sauce

fish inbaking dish

B eating flounder

RECIPE oven-poached flounder

my baby bro’s veggie balls

finished balls“I didn’t know veggies could be so filling!”

That’s what Phil, one of my dinner guests, told me after scarfing down these delicious veggie balls. B echoed that, telling me that they satisfied what he thought was his need for a meaty Italian meal. But enough of their testimonials, here’s what I loved about these guys. They’re versatile enough to make with pasta, in a sandwich, or over a salad, but they’re hearty enough to be a meal all their own. And they’re healthy! It’s lentils, veggies, herbs, walnuts and eggs.

So where did I find the recipe?

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