Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [106]
2 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and curry paste, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, broth, lemon-grass, lime juice, and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and season with cayenne pepper (it may not need any).
3 Add the shrimp, root vegetables, and baby corn, and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the lemongrass. Add the fresh herbs, if using. Taste again and adjust the seasoning.
4 Serve hot, spooned over the rice, with the lime wedges on the side.
Creamy Fish Pie
Serves 4–6
Think New England–style fish chowder in solid form, and you have some idea of the flavor of this fabulous fish dish—or potentially fabulous dish. Everything hinges on the absolute freshness of the fish. While any white fish will work, choose first the freshest fillet, then the thickest one you can find. Made with a thick fillet of fresh cod, this simple dish is exquisite, with the fresh cod adding a sweetness that is almost lobsterlike. Fish pies goes back centuries in British cooking; this dish is a Good Friday tradition.
2½ cups milk
6 whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 pounds cod or other white-fleshed fish fillets, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 pounds russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
½ cup lightly packed grated cheddar cheese (2 ounces; optional)
1 Lightly butter a deep ovenproof casserole dish, 9 to 10 inches in diameter.
2 Combine the milk, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
3 Layer the fish and onion in the baking dish and pour the warm milk mixture over the fish. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, cover the potatoes with salted water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil under tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
5 While the potatoes cook, remove the fish and onions from the baking dish and set aside on a plate. Strain the milk through a fine sieve, reserving all the liquid. Return the fish and onions to the baking dish.
6 Preheat the oven to 400°F.
7 Return the potatoes to the saucepan, mash with 3 tablespoons of the butter, and season with salt and pepper. Place the pan over low heat and beat the potatoes with a wooden spoon until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
8 Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan, stir in the flour to make a smooth paste, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the reserved milk to form a white sauce. Add the carrot and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
9 Pour the white sauce over the fish in the baking dish. Spoon or pipe the mashed potato over the top of the fish mixture, and sprinkle with grated cheese, if using.
10 Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot.
Kitchen Note: Pacific cod is considered sustainably fished.
Fish, to taste right, must swim three times—in water, in butter, and in wine.
— Polish proverb
Mediterranean Fish on a Bed of Rice and Leeks
Serves 4
The leeks provide a moist background for the delicately flavored fish, with bursts of flavor provided by the lemons, olives, and caperberries. Capers are the immature buds of the caper bush; caperberries are the fruit. They are oblong green fruits, about the size of a grape, and are milder in flavor than caper buds. If you can’t find caperberries, substitute capers.
1 cup long-grain white rice
1¾ cups cold water Salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2–3 large leeks, trimmed and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ pounds white-fleshed fish fillets
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
½ cup pitted Niçoise or other cured olives
½ cup caperberries, sliced,