Big Sur Bakery Cookbook - Michelle Wojtowicz [46]
Brush a large roasting pan (large enough to hold the 4 whole fish) with olive oil and set it aside.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into it. Put 1 fish in the hot pan and sear one side until the skin browns, about 4 minutes. Then carefully transfer the fish to the prepared roasting pan, laying the fish seared side down. (You must sear the fish on one side first because the broiler will impart direct heat only on the opposite side, and you want to make sure that both sides are properly cooked.) Repeat the process with the remaining oil and fish.
Put the roasting pan under the broiler and cook the fish for 10 to 12 minutes, until the skin starts to char. Check for doneness in the center of the fish, since that takes the longest to cook. The fish is done when you can easily flake the flesh away from the bones with a fork. Keep in mind that any fish that is cooked whole will take longer than you think; be patient and don’t worry too much about dryness—the bones will keep the fish moist.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let the fish rest for 4 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Gently transfer the fish to a platter or individual plates, and serve.
Photographs by Sara Remington
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Fish and Chips, Big Sur Style
Our British friend Terry lives for fish and chips. Between Wayne and Forrest, we’re bombarded with loads of fresh rockfish during the summer, so one day we decided to listen to Terry’s request and came up with this dish. We couldn’t bring ourselves to drop the fish into the deep-fat fryer, though. Instead we opted for lightly breading and pan-frying our fillets. This simple preparation makes a great lunch, and for dinner you could serve the fish with succotash instead of the chips (just don’t tell Terry).
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INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TARTAR SAUCE:
¾ cup homemade mayonnaise
1 pickle, minced
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons capers, minced
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 whole scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small shallot, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CHIPS:
4 medium russet potatoes
Rice bran oil or canola oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 whole scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
Serves 4
To make the tartar sauce, put the mayonnaise, pickle, lemon juice and zest, capers, parsley, chives, scallions, and shallots in a bowl and mix until well combined. Season the tartar sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer it to a plastic container or glass jar, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the chips, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them until they can be easily pierced with a paring knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, let them cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and laying the potato half on its flat side, cut it lengthwise into 3 wedges.
Fill a large pot with oil about 2 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375ºF on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, fry the potatoes until they’re golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain them on a plate lined with paper towels, and then season them generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the minced parsley, chives, and scallions. Reserve the chips in a warm spot.
For the fish, combine the breadcrumbs, grated Pecorino, parsley, and thyme in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a very fine meal.
FOR THE FISH:
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano