Turmeric White Fish with Chili Lime Cucumber

 Credit for this dish goes to The Splendid Table

This is a wonderful dish of vaguely Vietnamese origins, where it is more commonly served with dill than cilantro. Both work well in my opinion, or use a mixture of the two herbs.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2  tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger or minced ginger from a jar
• 2 tsp soft light brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp ground turmeric
• 4 x 125 g (4 oz) fresh fillets of hake, cod or monkfish
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 large shallots - sliced
• 2 garlic cloves – smash minced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Chili-lime Cucumber:

• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 small red chili - sliced
• 1/2 garlic clove - finely grated or smash minced
• 5 oz cucumber - peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp cold water

To serve:

• large handful of cilantro or dill- roughly chopped
• 1 oz toasted peanuts - roughly chopped
• cooked rice or rice noodles
• lime wedges

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the fish sauce, ginger, sugar and turmeric with a good grind of black pepper. Add the fish fillets and turn to coat them in the marinade, then set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine all the chili-lime cucumber ingredients. Stir and set aside to blend.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of the oil, the shallots and a small pinch of salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the shallots start to soften, then add the garlic. Fry for another 3–4 minutes. Scrape from pan to a bowl and set aside.

Return the pan to a medium heat with the remaining oil. Add the fish and fry for 3 minutes on each side. Return the shallots and garlic to the pan and add a spoonful of the chili-lime liquid from the cucumber blend.

Lift the cucumber from the chili-lime dressing and divide it among plates, topping it with the fish and shallots. Scatter with the coriander or parsley and chopped toasted peanuts and spoon over a little more of the chili-lime liquid. Serve with rice or rice noodles and lime wedges, and the remaining chili-lime dressing for spooning over.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Alaska Sole With White Beans & Garlicky Greens

Full credit for this great dish goes to AlaskaSeafood.org

Delicate and mild wild Alaska sole is prepared simply in a skillet with beans, kale, and a squeeze of fresh lemon to make a simple but flavor-packed meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe works with other white fishes, too, such as cod or halibut. Be sure to adjust cooking times accordingly.

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts, washed and thinly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove - thinly sliced
• Kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) – (I prefer Aleppo Pepper flakes)
• 1 bunch kale, leaves stripped from stems and roughly torn
• 1 15.5-oz can white beans, such as cannellini, navy, or butter, drained and rinsed
• 2 lemons, divided
• 1 small head fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• 4  5-6oz boneless Alaska sole filets (thawed, if frozen)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

Step 1 - Prepare the greens

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the leek, garlic, and red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add kale (in batches if needed), season with more salt and pepper to taste, and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gently stir in the beans. Cook for another 4 minutes, until the beans are just warmed. Transfer to a large serving dish, and don’t wash the skillet (you’ll use it again for the fish). Halve one of the lemons and squeeze it over the beans and greens.

In a small bowl, toss together the fennel and the juice from the other half of the first lemon (about 1 1/2 tbsp). Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2 - Cook fish and serve

Wipe out the skillet. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and remaining tbsp of olive oil in the same large nonstick skillet over medium until the butter starts to foam and smells barely nutty, then add the fish in a single layer. Cook the fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until it flakes easily with a fork. Remove from heat.

Top beans and greens with the filets and pour any browned butter left in the pan over top. Scatter the fennel mixture over the fish and top with reserved fennel fronds. Slice the remaining lemon into wedges for serving.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!