Char with tagliatelle and white wine emulsion.

Inspired by the timeless Parisian standard at Chez André, this rendition of its Arctic char - celebrating its fine flake, delicate sweetness, and impossibly crackling skin. Seared hard skin-down to create a shattered, glassy crust, the char rests over a nest of buttery egg tagliatelle ribbons threaded with shaved zucchini. A velvety reduction of dry white wine, shallot, and butter is pulled off the heat to gently wilt ribboned sorrel, providing an electric, lemony bite that cuts cleanly through the richness.

The Bistro Recipe

A lighter, delicate riff on Chez André's classic: pan-crisped Arctic char nestled over tender egg tagliatelle, pooled in a vibrant white wine, butter, and lemon-scented sorrel emulsion.

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 2

Method Pan-Sear & Emulsion

Scale

1x 2x 3x

Units

US Metric

Ingredients

Arctic Char & Tagliatelle Base

• 2 pieces Arctic char fillets (approx. 170g / 6 oz each), skin on & scaled
• 7 oz fresh egg tagliatelle or fettuccine pasta
• 1 piece small zucchini, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 1 tbsp neutral high-smoke-point oil (grapeseed or avocado)

The Sorrel Pan Sauce

• 1 piece French shallot, finely minced
• 0.33 cup dry crisp French white wine (such as Muscadet or Chablis)
• 0.25 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5.5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1.5 oz fresh sorrel leaves, destemmed and cut into thin chiffonade

Garnish & Seasoning

• 2 tbsp fresh tomato concasse (peeled, seeded, and finely diced)
• 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Flaky sea salt & freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1
   Dry the Skin

   Scrape char skin with a knife spine to remove all moisture. Season both flesh and skin with flaky salt.

2. 2
   Boil Pasta and Ribbons

   Boil tagliatelle in salted water. Toss in zucchini ribbons during the final 30 seconds; drain and gloss with butter.

3. 3
   Crisp the Char

   Lay fillets skin-side down in shimmering oil over medium-high. Press firmly for 30 seconds; sear until golden, 4 minutes.

4. 4
   Delicate Flip

   Turn fish onto flesh side for just 45 seconds. Immediately pull from pan to rest warm; avoid overcooking delicate flesh.

5. 5
   Deglaze and Reduce

   Sauté shallot for 1 minute in a saucepan. Deglaze with white wine, bubbling rapidly until reduced by three-quarters.

6. 6
   Whisk Butter Emulsion

   Stir in cream, then vigorously whisk cold butter cubes off heat until glossy and velvety. Season with salt and pepper.

7. 7
   Wilt Sorrel and Plate

   Fold sorrel chiffonade into warm sauce off heat. Swirl pasta onto plates, spoon sauce around, top with char, and garnish.

Bistro Technique: The Char Skin Advantage

Arctic char fillets are thinner and more delicate than salmon, meaning the fish cooks through very quickly. Do not cook it 50/50. Perform 85% of the cook skin-down under gentle pressure to yield shattered, chip-crisp skin, then kiss the flesh side to the pan for mere seconds to retain a succulent, translucent center.

Sommelier Pairing

Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko: Crisp, saline, and lemon-driven with structured minerality, this wine effortlessly mirrors the sorrel’s green tang while cutting right through the luxurious butter emulsion.

Inspiration from Chez André

Chez André

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