Skate, for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, is delicately textured and tastes very much like scallops. In France there are endless wonderful brasseries, and nearly all of them serve skate with a brown butter sauce. Smoky chipotle puree instantly Americanizes the butter sauce with its fiery taste of the Southwest. The finishing touches for the skate—salty capers, tart lemon juice, and my favorite herb for seafood, tarragon—are all simple but come together in a dynamic way. The tomato salad is optional, but it brings a lovely touch of bright color and freshness to the plate.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Crispy Hominy

Nonstick cooking spray

　　1 cup fine white cornmeal, plus 1 1/2 cups for dredging

　　1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

　　1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup ricotta cheese

　　1/2 cup canola oil

　　

Skate

4 (7-ounce) boneless skate fillets

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup Wondra flour

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1/2 cup dry white wine

　　Smoked Chile Butter (page 116)

　　2 tablespoons brined capers, drained

　　2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

　　Tomato Salad (page 116; optional)

　　Chive Oil (page 239; optional)

　　

SMOKED CHILE BUTTER

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

　　2 tablespoons pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo

　　2 teaspoons honey

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　(makes 3/4 cup)

　　

TOMATO SALAD

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise

　　1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

　　2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　(serves 4 as a garnish)

　　

Step 1

To make the crispy hominy, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

　　

Step 2

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the cornmeal a little a time, whisking constantly with a wire whisk. Once all the cornmeal has been added, turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon every 5 minutes and continue cooking until all the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is very creamy, 25 to 30 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and butter and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the ricotta; it does not need to be totally mixed in. Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap into the hominy, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

　　

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

　　

Step 5

Spread the 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Cut the hominy into eight 2-inch rounds. Dredge each cake on both sides in the cornmeal. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a 9-inch cast-iron pan or a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Sauté 4 of the cakes until golden brown on each side, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining oil and cakes. Transfer to the oven to keep warm while you cook the skate.

　　

Step 6

Season both sides of the skate with salt and pepper. Spread out the flour on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the skate on both sides in the flour and tap off any excess.

　　

Step 7

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat. Cook the skate on both sides until light golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

　　

Step 8

Add the wine to the pan and boil until reduced by half. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the cold chile butter a few tablespoons at a time and whisk until emulsified. Add the capers, lemon juice, and tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 9

Put the fish fillets on 4 plates and serve 2 hominy cakes per person. Spoon the sauce over the fish and top with some of the tomato salad if you like. Garnish with chive oil if desired.

　　

SMOKED CHILE BUTTER

Step 10

Combine the butter, chipotle puree, and honey in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

　　

TOMATO SALAD

Step 11

Combine the tomatoes, onion, vinegar, oil, and basil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, (C) 2011 Clarkson PotterBOBBY FLAY, a New York Times bestselling author, is the chef-owner of six fine dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and an expanding roster of Bobby's Burger Palaces. He is the host of numerous popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Boy Meets Grill and Grill It! with Bobby Flay, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star. Brunch @ Bobby's debuted on the Cooking Channel in fall 2010 and America's Next Great Restaurant debuted in March 2011 on NBC. This is his eleventh book. His website is BobbyFlay.com.