tarragon perch and ratatouille: a paris favorite
Friday, September 12, 2008 at 10:29PM 
It's no secret that I'm a sucker for Paris and its trappings -- the young, slim bistro waiters with bow ties; the croque madames; the neoclassical sculptures in the Tuileries -- but on our last trip to France, we had only two days in the city before heading down to the Dordogne.
To make the most of it, we decided that Paul would plan the first day and surprise me, and I would plan the second and surprise him.
With only a short nap after our red-eye flight the night before, we slurped downed an espresso and headed out. Paul led me around like a seeing-eye dog leading the blind. "Turn here," he would say, gently guiding my arm.
We walked all over, discovering new alleys and parks, until we reached our final destination: a tiny, open-kitchen restaurant called 'La Cordonnerie' in the 1st arrondissement. He had been there once before and was eager to share it.
When we stepped into the small, dimly-lit restaurant, I felt as though I were walking into someone's home. The front of the restuarant consisted of only two booths.
The kitchen was filled with an unmanageable number of pots, pans, plates, and utensils. Behind a clear shield, which protected guests from the heat and splatters, Chef Hugo Wolfer handled the various pans and flame-levels simultaneously like a one-man band.
Hugo, who took over the restaurant from his father and mother, cooked and plated -- multiple dishes for multiple tables at the same time by himself.
After the restaurant's lone waiter seated us, Hugo came out from the kitchen to present his specials for the evening: pork shoulder with chanterelles or perch with tarragon served with ratatouille. "Let me show you," he said. He disappeared behind the kitchen counter and returned with a well-seasoned copper pot holding two plump filets of perch with fresh sprigs of tarragon on top.
I usually like to order savory pork or beef dishes with rich reductions at Paris restaurants, but after he brought the perch to our table, I couldn't resist.
"I'll have the perch," I said. The subtle flavors of the firm fish and tarragon blended perfectly with the ratatouille and rice.
The next time we go to Paris, we'll definitely return to La Cordonnerie, which translates to "shoe repair place." It's located at 20, rue Saint Roch between Avenue de L'Opera and Rue de Rivoli. It is closed Saturday and Sunday. For reservations, call: 01 42 60 17 42. Ask for one of the two tables near the kitchen.
Here's my own version of the tarragon perch with ratatouille:
Tarragon Perch and Ratatouille
Serves 2
Tarragon Perch
2, 1/2-pound filets of ocean perch
1/2 cup white wine
a splash of white wine vinegar
2 cloves
4 peppercorns
2 sprigs tarragon
Salt, pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Sprinkle of paprikaAdd the white wine, vinegar, clove and peppercorns to the pan and bring to a boil. Pat the fish dry and then season with salt and pepper. Add the perch, skin down, in the pan. Cook for three minutes over medium heat uncovered. Add tarragon and cover for another 4 - 5 minutes until tarragon is soft. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. Serve the fish with rice and ratatouille and sprinkle the sides of the plate with paprika.
Ratatouille
(adapted from Joy of Cooking)1/4 cup olive oil
2 small eggplants, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound of zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, sliced
4 small, sweet red peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 to 3 large tomatoes, chopped and seeded
2 to 3 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepperSaute the zucchini and eggplant in a Dutch oven over high heat until the vegetables are soft and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the vegetables and reduce the heat to medium-high. In the same pan, add two more tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions until they are softened. Add the peppers and garlic and cook until tender, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes more. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.
Reader Comments (16)
Tarragon and fish pair so well together and this is cooked simply, deliciously.
It looks and sounds delicious Angela! I loved the story, and it was fun to see a pic of you and your recreated dish! I am going to have to save this one and try it, I almost just can't resist!
Sounds delicious!
Thanks, Peter! Tarragon is my all-time favorite herb and I agree -- it's brilliant with fish. I also love it with chicken baked with wine wine and mustard.
Thanks, hot garlic! I'm glad you liked the story. It was fun to recreate the dish. I'm still trying to perfect it to give it that 'Hugo touch' -- it may change yet!
I love Paris....Tarragon and fish are so perfect for each other.
This looks absolutely fantastic. Fresh tarragon and fish is such a great combination.Thanks for sharing all the Paris information, I can't wait to jump on a plain again.
Thanks, Maya! I actually tried this same recipe with haddock and it was less than optimal flavor-wise so using perch for this one is important.
Thanks, Buon Viaggio! It's nice to know another Paris fan. I love your site and your recent entry on Paper Chef. Nice work, and thanks for visiting!
This looks delicious, and you brought me back to Paris! I, too, am a huge fan of Paris and its food. Now I have something to put on my list of foods and restaurants to try. Thank you for visiting my site, too. I hope the BLTs with fried green tomatoes turn out well for you!
I'd like to add that we tried this recipe with haddock, and PERCH IS THE SECRET! Insist on perch. Stomp your feet. Hold your breath. But GET PERCH!
:)
We don't use heaps of tarragon but I can certainly see how it's delicate flavour would be great here. Now, I'm thinking about a little accordion mood music (Italian, but it will do!) and making this dish. Wonderful inspiration. Merci!
Paul is right! Definitely insist on perch. What a difference!
Thanks, Mary! Italian accordion music would be perfect!
If I can't get fresh tarragon, how mush dried tarragon do you reccomend?
I suggest holding off on making this until you have fresh tarragon. I haven't experimented too much with dried tarragon but I would think it would change the quality and flavor of the dish significantly.
Till I watched the cartoon ( http://file.sh/Ratatouille+torrent.html ), I didn't have the slightest idea of the dish! I will surely cook it!
That's too funny -- you will love this. Let me know if you make it. Cheers!
Hi Angela,
this is a beautiful blog! I came across it looking for pictures of La Cordonnerie which I just experienced last week - this restaurant is really worth writing more about.
I hope you don't mind that I borrowed one of your photos to show the inside of La Cordonnerie in my own blog about it... :-) I posted a link to you as well.
take care
-elin