Recipes by Sylva Koscina: Bass Rayee Beurre Nantais; Fettuccine with Bacon and Petits Pois

Sylva Koscina's Bass Rayee Beurre Nantais

For the fumet:

1/2 bottle of dry white wine
3  cups  dry white wine
1 small yellow onion, chopped
A 2-inch piece of carrot, chopped
2 celery leaves
1 bay leaf
Bouquet garni (10 crushed peppercorns, sprig of parsley, pinch of thyme)
3 pounds striped bass, cleaned, drawn, head, tail and fins intact

Put wine, water, onion, carrot, celery leaves, bay leaf, and bouquet garni (wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with string) in fish kettle (or saucepan with rack); cover, simmer 30 minutes.

Wrap fish carefully in double thickness of cheesecloth tied with string.  Lower fish on rack in roasting kettle. (Fish should be halfway out of water when placed on rack). Cover, simmer fish 15 minutes or until barely done. Remove to heated platter, carefully remove cheesecloth. Garnish with parsley (or watercress). Cut lemon and radish roses.

For the sauce:

1/2 bottle Crepy (or Chablis wine)
Several pieces cut lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 sticks chilled sweet butter

Put all ingredients in glass or enamel saucepan except butter. Cook over direct heat; reduce to 1/3 original volume. Strain, discarding shallots and lemon pieces.

Put in top of double boiler, gradually whisk (or beat with hand electric mixer) small amount of butter. Heat over indirect heat (water should be barely hot in lower pan.) Keep adding small amounts of butter, creaming after each addition until thick and creamy. Sauce should be thick, ivory- colored and the consistency of a thin Hollandaise sauce. Serve warm in heated sauce boat, spooning generously over hot poached fish.

Sylva Koscina's Fettuccine with Bacon and Petits Pois

8 fresh mushroom caps
3/4 stick soft sweet butter
8 slices pancetta (or lean American bacon or 1/2 cup chopped prosciutto ham)
8 ounces fettuccine noodles (or double-rich egg noodles)
Salted boiling water
1/2 package frozen petits pois
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Clean, trim mushroom caps; cut into strips and saute until golden in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Set aside. Cook pancetta (or bacon) until crisp, drain well. Break into bits, set aside. Cook fettuccine noodles in salted, boiling water. Barely cook petits pois in salted, boiling water according to package directions. Drain well.

Toss hot cooked noodles in large warmed mixing bowl with remaining soft butter, mushrooms, petits pois,  Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Top with pancetta (or bacon) bits, stir slightly. Serves 2 to 3 as main course. Serve with chilled Soave, Orvieto or Frascati.