Originally published: THE WAY WE EAT; On Blueberry Hill
1 cup dry-style blueberry wine (see note)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
* cup fresh or frozen low bush, wild blueberries
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
Sea salt
Cayenne pepper
Olive oil
4 6-ounce skin-on fillets fish, like striped bass, mahi mahi or blue fish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons *-inch cut fresh chives
1 lemon, quartered (optional).
1. Prepare a grill to very hot. Meanwhile, in a non-reactive skillet, bring the blueberry wine, vinegar, shallots, lemon zest and juice and 1/4 cup of the blueberries to a boil. Lower to a simmer and reduce the sauce to about 1/4 cup.
2. Over medium heat, vigorously whisk in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, to make a smooth emulsion. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids. Season with sea salt and a pinch of cayenne. Keep warm.
3. Rub a little oil over the fish, then season with salt and pepper. Grill until opaque, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Just before serving, swirl the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries and the chives into the beurre bleu. Serve over the fish. Serves 4. Adapted from Sam Hayward, the chef of Fore Street in Portland, Maine.
Note: Maine blueberry wine is difficult to find outside of Maine due to restrictions. A Chianti or sangiovese wine can be substituted for blueberry wine. To impart more blueberry flavor into the wine, heat 1/2 cup of extra wild blueberries in a dry skillet until their skins start to burst. Transfer the berries and the wine to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, then measure out 1 cup of wine.
