We brined the skate wing before we vacuum sealed it and cooked it at 55°C for thirty minutes. Then we chilled the fish down in ice water and laid it flat. There was a beauty to the white wing with pockets of savory fish jelly surrounding it.
In our first version of the dish we melted some butter in a pan and slid a piece of the wing and allowed it to brown on one side and heat through. We warmed our smoked clams and cabbage leaves in their mingled juices. A knob of butter, some Meyer lemon zest and a squeeze of the juice finished the ragout. We placed the wing on a plate, folding it over so that the diner could see part of the pristine white flesh and some of the caramelized side. The ragout and the lemony clam juices were spooned over the top.
The dish was delicate, the skate soft and meaty, the clams salty and flavorful like tender bacon lardons, with the cabbage offering a textural crunch paired with a sweet green grassy flavor. The touch of citrus accented the main elements and completed the dish.
