Recipe Demonstration of Classic “Poisson Provençale“ at La Ferme d’Augustin, St. Tropez, France.

Family style chef, Sophia Bonissone, in the kitchens at La Ferme d’Agustin Hotel****, St. Tropez, Cote d’Azur, Southern France demonstrates how to make this typical south of France dish "Poisson (or Fish) Provencal". This is the signature dish of the "Table d'Augustin" and chef Bonissone prepares and demonstrates how it could be prepared in any French family. It has as many methods as there are families to fix it from splashing in a tot of Pastis to using more or less vegetables and fresh herbs according to the taste preferences of the cook and the family. It makes a great dish winter or summer. The dish demonstrated here ended up as our lunch. So I have included a some clips of the server filleting the fish for eating for those that have not filleted a whole cooked fish.Here is the recipe:
Ingredients for stuffing body of the fish:
1 medium white fish (in France a Capon or Rascasse) but a medium sized white fish will do.
1 Small bunch of Fennel cut in half (reserve the other half for the Potatoes Provençales)
A few leaves of fresh Oregano (dry if no fresh is available)
1 One small 4" twig of fresh Thyme
Half sliver of fresh garlic clove to stuff in the gills of the head
4 slices of medium sized tomato
4 round slices of lemon
4 or 5 slices of half a small onion or of a quarter medium onion
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt (Fleur de sel) and Ground Pepper.
Preparation of the Fish:
Sprinkle salt and pepper into the cleaned out innards of the fish.
Stuff the whole, cleaned and gutted fish with the chopped fennel, coarsely chopped fresh Oregano and the twig of thyme.
Place the fish in a baking dish and drizzle virgin olive oil all over it.
Salt and Pepper the exterior up-facing fish as well.
Slide a thin slice of raw garlic clove into the upside gills of the head.
Place 3 or 4 slices of whole tomato on the top of the fish.
Then place several coarse slices of onion on top as well.
Add several more round slices of lemon on top as well where ever you can fit them in.
Top that with more olive oil.
Lastly season with an other pinch of salt and pepper.
Bake in a medium heat (approx. 350F/180C) for 40 minutes approximately since the time varies depending on the size and weight of the fish and how thick it is.
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Ingredients for the Pommes de Terre Provençales (Potatoes Provençales):
8 Medium potatoes peeled and cleaned
2 medium tomatoes whole with skins and seeds intact according to personal preference
3 Medium to Small Shallots
1 Medium onion
Small handful of fresh Thyme
The other half of the Fennel bunch very roughly chopped.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt (Fleur de sel) and Ground Pepper.
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Preparation of the Pommes de Terre Provençales (Potatoes Provençales):
Mostly chopping/coarse dicing for this dish.
Cut out the stem area and make a small cross cut at the other end.
Then remove the skin of a tomato made easier by placing into a pot of boiling water for a minute or two (do not let it cook!), then putting it into iced water.Then it is easy to peel off the skin.
Chop the dice the tomato into coarse bits, sort of square. Place in cooking pan.
Chop the 3 medium, cleaned potatoes into similar sized bits about 1/2 to 3/4 (1.25 cm) bits and add to pan.
Do the same with the shallots and onion and add to the mix.
Add in the twigs of fresh thyme (or sprinkle on 1/2 teaspoon of dry).
Roughly chop the fennel and add in.
Drizzle generously with olive oil.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top.
Mix all together well.
Bake in 350F (180C) oven for about 60 to 75 minutes. After the first 30 minutes, remove and turn the potato mixture over to mix up the ingredients then return to the oven and continue to bake until golden in color.
Plating:
When serving, remove the head, tail and fins. Gently remove the flesh from the bone making sure to remove all the bones. In France they use a serving spoon and fork but a fish knife and fork will work well for those less experienced. Even a small cake spatula can work well with a fork.
Place the fish pieces on a plate together and arrange the Potatoes Provençales around them. Or, as the waiter did at the restaurant of Hotel La Ferme d'Augustin, serve the Potatoes Provençales in the cooking pan or serving dish so diners can serve themselves however much they want to eat. The baked tomatoes can be served on the plate or on their own side serving dish. There are not rules here.
Visit their own site at: fermeaugustin.com/en
ADDRESS
979 Tahiti Road
• Saint Tropez •
83,350 Ramatuelle • France
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Tel.: + 33 (0)4 94 55 97 00
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