flounder salad
July 12, 2013 § 35 Comments
I found fresh wild caught flounder at the market the other day. My plan was to go home and make tacos. I knew I wanted something lightly spiced with garlic and herbs. What I didn’t expect was the flavor and texture of this fish to be astoundingly delightful. Once I tried a taste I knew this would be a great fish for salad and I gave up on the taco idea.
I dusted the flounder lightly with flour, added a little salt and pepper and pan cooked it in hot olive oil. Once the flounder was cooked, using the same pan, I added chopped garlic, cilantro, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of pimentón de la vera (sweet smoked paprika). Topping the flounder with these crispy spicy bits was simply delectable.
The flounder was served on a bed of mixed wild greens, topped with grated purple cabbage, tzatziki, cilantro sprigs and a few lime slices. I made the tzatziki before starting the fish. I highly recommend using this in place of a salad dressing.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 1.5 pound fresh wild caught flounder filets
- 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup flour
- salt and pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika (or to taste)
- three handfuls of mixed wild greens
- 1/2 cup grated purple cabbage for serving
- a few springs of cilantro for serving
- lime slices for serving
Wash the flounder and pat it dry with paper towels. Set a large skillet over medium high heat and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Dust both sides with flour. Set the fish in the skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 3-5 minutes until golden. Turn the fish and sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until golden and crisp around the edges. Remove the fish from the pan to clean paper towels. Turn the heat to low and add cilantro and garlic to the skillet. Mix around and when it has become aromatic add the lemon juice and allow it to bubble a little. Sprinkle the smoked paprika, move around with a spatula until well combined and a bit crispy. Turn off heat.
Plate each serving. First a handful of mixed greens, fish, crispy/spicy bits, a little grated purple cabbage, tzaziki, cilantro sprig and a few lime slices.
Serves 4.
spiced rubbed halibut (with two simple sauces)
April 29, 2013 § 24 Comments
A number of my dinners are created from a single craving. The other day I had a craving so, I went to the market specifically to buy salmon. The only salmon available was “fresh farm raised” or “previously frozen wild caught”. Because I prefer to purchase fresh wild caught fish I scratched the salmon idea and decided on the halibut. Obviously I really take heed to my cravings. Sometimes I think when I crave a specific food it is because my body needs it. I felt like we needed fish. Feeling very enthusiastic and eager I brought the fish home and started working on a dry rub. To accompany our fish I prepared smashed potatoes with shallots and a hearty mixed green salad. Heavenly.
For some reason when I get to the fish counter I always forget how much fish I need to bring home. Fishmongers have recommended anywhere between 1/2 – 1 pound per person. I imagine it depends on the appetite of your guests. For our family 1/2 pound each is a perfect portion.
For the sauces I used what I could find in the refrigerator. I made a chermoula style pesto using cilantro, garlic, cumin, lemon, olive oil and salt in the food processor. The other sauce I prepared was greek yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon, olive oil and salt. These two sauces were set on the table in little serving bowls to add to our plates as desired.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound fresh wild caught halibut
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the dry rub
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Chermoula sauce
- large handful cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Yogurt sauce
- 1 cup whole milk greek yogurt
- handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Rinse your halibut and pat dry with paper towels. Combine all dry rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Using your hands rub both sides of your fish with rub and set aside to “marinade a little”.
Prepare your sauces. For the chermoula, in a food processor chop the garlic first. Then add everything else except the oil. Blend. With the motor still running gradually add the olive oil until you have a loose, pesto-like paste. For the yogurt sauce, in medium size bowl combine all ingredients until well mixed. Place in small serving bowls on your dinner table.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat until it is good and hot, and then add the tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the butter for extra flavor. Since the pan is already hot, the oil needs only a second or two to heat up. (I have read this is the secret to good searing technique…heat up the pan first.)
Gently lay the fish skin side up in the hot pan. Lower the heat to medium and sear for 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish over. Since most of the cooking was done on the first side, the fish may only need a minute or two on the other side depending on its thickness.
Divide your fish and place onto individual serving plates. We topped ours with a little roasted spring onions.
Serves 3
buon appetite.
COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE 