One Pan, Two Plates (33 page)

Poached Halibut

with
CHIVE GREMOLATA, BRUSSELS SPROUTS,
and
BUTTER BEAN MASH

If you’re looking for a healthful, low-fat dinner that just about cooks all by itself, look no further. The meal starts off with poached halibut and a lemon, garlic, and chive gremolata topping that sets it off simply and flavorfully. I love butter beans and never get over the ease of opening up a can of these creamy beauties to act as a starchy base for the fish, Brussels sprouts, and broth. It
is
possible to eat food that’s healthful, easy to cook, and delicious at the same time. Who knew?

........

START TO FINISH
30 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
20 minutes

...

serves 2

........

Zest of 1 lemon

½ tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced fresh chives (see “It’s that easy”)

1 cup/200 g canned butter beans, drained and rinsed (see Tip,
page 131
)

Two 6-oz/170-g halibut fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, sliced

15 Brussels sprouts, quartered and cored

1½ cups/360 ml chicken or vegetable broth

1.
In a small bowl, stir together the lemon zest, garlic, and chives. Set the gremolata aside.

2.
Divide the beans between two microwave-safe shallow soup bowls (or other individual serving bowls) and set them aside.

3.
Pat the fillets dry and sprinkle all over with salt, pepper, and half the gremolata. Set aside.

4.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the shallot and cook it until it softens, about 1 minute. Add the Brussels sprouts, ¼ tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper and sauté until the sprouts turn bright green, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Slide the fillets into the simmering broth. Cover the pan and poach until the fish is cooked through and the
sprouts are tender, about 10 minutes. When done, the fish will flake easily when pulled apart with the tines of a fork.

5.
When the fish is almost done poaching, sprinkle a few pinches of the remaining gremolata over each reserved bowl of beans and microwave them for about 1 minute to heat the beans up. Mash the warm beans lightly with the back of a fork.

6.
When the fish is done, carefully scoop it from the broth with a wide spatula and transfer it to the bowls. Scoop out the sprouts and divide them between the bowls, then ladle in the broth. Garnish with the remaining gremolata and serve hot.

it’s that easy:
Gremolata is usually made of parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. I just happen to have lots of chives growing in my herb patch, so I used them here for the green in place of parsley. If you have parsley on hand or prefer it, go ahead and use it. Other fresh herbs that could be swapped in are basil, marjoram, or oregano.

extra hungry?
Ciabatta bread drizzled with olive oil and toasted in your toaster is an easy fix for extra-hungry nights.

in the glass:
A smooth and creamy white with nice acid would be delicious with this lemony, garlicky fish. Look for an inexpensive but delicious bottle of Chardonnay from Edna Valley, such as Hess or Mirassou.

Haddock

with
SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
and
BLACK-EYED PEA RAGÙ

I became very fond of haddock after spending some time in Maine. Of course the catch was gloriously fresh up there, and that might be the secret to becoming enamored of certain fish: that you’ve eaten them just moments away from swimming in the ocean. Here, I’ve jazzed my fave fish with some Cajun seasoning and paired it with a Southern ragù of simmered black-eyed peas, bacon, and shiitake mushrooms for a little Maine by way of Louisiana. Thanks to Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon for the inspiration of this recipe.

........

START TO FINISH
35 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
25 minutes

...

serves 2

........

Two 6-oz/170-g haddock fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp Cajun seasoning (see “It’s that easy”)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 slices bacon

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

1 celery stalk, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

4 oz/115 g shiitake mushrooms (see “It’s that easy”), brushed clean and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp dried thyme

Pinch of red pepper flakes

One 15½-oz/445-g can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed

¾ cup/180 ml low-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tsp minced fresh chives

1.
Pat the fillets dry and sprinkle a little salt and black pepper on both sides. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the tops.

2.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the bacon and cook, turning as needed, until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and crumble it once it’s cooled.

3.
Add the fish to the hot fat in the pan and cook until the fillets are browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip with a thin-edged spatula
and brown the second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the fish to a plate and cover to keep warm. (It will not be cooked through at this point.)

4.
Add the onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, ¼ tsp salt, and red pepper flakes to the hot pan and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Taste the ragù and add more salt, black pepper, or red pepper flakes if it needs it. Return the fish to the pan, Cajun-spiced-side up, and dot it with the butter. Cover and simmer until the fish is cooked through, another 5 minutes or so.

5.
Scoop the black-eyed pea ragù onto two warmed plates and top it with the fish. Sprinkle the chives and bacon over the top and serve right away.

variation:
If you can’t find haddock, use hake or cod.

it’s that easy:
Cajun seasoning is a punchy blend of paprika, salt, celery, sugar, garlic, black pepper, red pepper, onion, oregano, caraway, dill, turmeric, cumin, bay, mace, cardamom, basil, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. You can sprinkle it on just about anything.

Shiitake mushrooms have a tough stem that must be removed before slicing and cooking. Unlike many mushroom stems, these will never tenderize, so pull them off and throw them away.

extra hungry?
A light salad of Bibb lettuce and arugula with a squirt of lemon, a glug of olive oil, and a scattering of clementine or orange segments sounds just right.

in the glass:
A buttery Chardonnay from Geyser Peak would be a light and refreshing accompaniment to this hearty meal.

Catfish Tacos

with
CHIPOTLE SLAW

My siblings and I used to fish for catfish in the Ohio River when we were kids. As soon as we caught them, we’d throw them back into the murky waters, waiting for the next “big one” to take the line. Today catfish are farm-raised, and these delicious fish are perfect for fish tacos because they’re firm and hold their shape. The crunch and smoky spice of the red-and-white chipotle slaw is my favorite filling to go with these crispy fillets all wrapped up in a warm tortilla. No need to drop a line.