Whole Roasted Arctic Char With Fennel And Pistou Recipes

HERB-STUFFED ROAST ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the leaves from 2 sage sprigs, 1 parsley sprig, all of the thyme sprigs and the rosemary; finely chop along with the lemon zest. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil to make a paste; set aside.
• Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Run the back of a knife over the skin of the fish to remove any excess moisture; pat dry inside and out. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cut 4 slits through the skin on each side of the fish with a sharp knife; rub inside and out with 1 tablespoon olive oil, making sure to get inside the slits. Season the fish inside and out with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; spread the herb paste all over the inside.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 130 degrees F to 135 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the leaves from the remaining 1 sage sprig and 2 parsley sprigs; add to the hot oil and cook, stirring, until crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

CRISPY SKIN ARCTIC CHAR WITH BUTTER-BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• For the butter-braised cabbage: Cook the bacon in a large high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the butter to same pan, followed by the onions. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, vinegar and cabbage. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
• Remove the lid from the cabbage and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated. Stir the crisped bacon into the cabbage and season with salt and pepper.
• For the arctic char: The secret to crispy skin is lack of moisture. Leave your fish uncovered in the fridge 10 to 15 minutes to dry out. Then dry the fish with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, place the fillets skin-side down in the pan, cooking in batches if needed. Using the back of a spatula, press down hard on the fillets for at least 20 seconds to ensure that the entire skin has full contact with the bottom of the pan. This will help to achieve the crispiest skin possible.
• Continue cooking until the flesh cooks and there is only a bit of pink left, 5 to 6 minutes. The skin should be pulling away from the bottom of the pan. If necessary, use a spatula to loosen the skin before flipping. Flip the fish and continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute before transferring to a plate to rest.
• Gently remove the fish skin with a paring knife and place the skin back into the pan, flesh-side down. Fry another 1 to 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate, at which point it will harden like a super-crispy fish chip.
• Serve the crisp arctic char over the butter-braised cabbage and top with the crispy fish skin.
• Cook's Note: Removing your fried fish skin to a wire rack will help it harden by letting the air circulate around it.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH TANGERINE-HABANERO GLAZE AND MEYER LEMON COUSCOUS BROTH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Brush fillets on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large, oven-safe nonstick saute pan over high heat, add the fish, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Brush with some of the glaze, turn over, and continue cooking (on the stovetop or in the oven) for 3 to 4 minutes or until just cooked through. Brush with more of the glaze and remove from the heat.
• Ladle some of the broth into large shallow bowls, place fish in the middle, glazed side up, and sprinkle some of the couscous around the fish. Serve immediately.
• Place tangerine juice in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat, until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally. While the tangerine juice is reducing, combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan and cook until reduced by half. Add the reduced tangerine juice and habanero to the reduced vinegar mixture and stir to combine. Puree in a blender until smooth and season with salt. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature before using.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the clam broth and cook for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture and return to the saucepan, stir in the lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the butter, if using, and the torn parsley or cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm.
• Bring water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the couscous, cover the pot, remove from the heat, and let sit 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove the lid of the pot, fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the zest. Keep warm.

BRAISED WHOLE CHAR WITH ROSé COURT BOUILLON AND CHANTERELLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Grease a baking dish with butter and lay the fish inside. Add the button mushrooms, garlic, yellow onions and rosé. Cover with parchment paper and braise in the oven for 40 minutes. Transfer the fish to a platter and carefully pour the liquid through a strainer into a saucepan. Reduce the cooking liquid for 5 minutes. (Reserve the button mushrooms and yellow onions for a salad.)
• Add the chanterelles, pearl onions, butter and the reduced cooking liquid to a sauté pan; cook for 5 minutes.
• Gently remove the fish bones, and then cover the fish with the chanterelle sauce. Serve hot.

PAN ROASTED ARCTIC CHAR STUFFED WITH TANGERINE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Rinse the fish and pat dry. Slice the tangerines thinly; remove and reserve the fronds from the fennel bulbs and cut the bulbs into thick slices. Mix them together in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Season the fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the fish with the tangerine mixture and tie it closed with kitchen string. Heat an ovenproof saute pan over medium high heat and add 1/4 cup olive oil. When hot toss in the fennel seeds and peppercorns. Cook to flavor the oil for about 1 minute, remove the spices and discard them. Place the fish in the pan and cook on each side for about 2 minutes. Put the pan in the oven and roast the fish for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with the Fennel and Olive Salsa Verde.
• Place the fennel fronds, parsley, olives, capers, and anchovies on a cutting board. Chop them with a knife until they are very fine. Put them into a bowl and stir in the olive oil, tangerine juice, and vinegar. Taste the salsa and season with salt and pepper.

ROASTED ARCTIC CHAR AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut stalks from fennel bulbs, then chop enough fronds to measure 1/4 cup. Remove any discolored parts from bulbs and quarter bulbs lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick slices using slicer.
• Toss fennel with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13- by 9-inch (2-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and roast 10 minutes, then remove foil and roast 5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, rinse fish and pat dry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put fish, skin side down, on fennel in baking dish, spooning some of fennel over fish. Return baking dish to oven and roast, uncovered, until fish is opaque and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Sprinkle fennel fronds over fish and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with orange wedges for squeezing over fish.