Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [214]
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves, slivered
1½ pounds Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves washed but not dried and then chopped
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels, then rub them with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; set aside.
Place the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a large, oven-safe sauté pan or skillet. Set the pan over low heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, taking care not to brown the garlic.
Raise the heat to medium and lay the wet greens in the pan. Count to ten, then toss with tongs to get the garlic strewn throughout the leaves. Sprinkle the wine over the greens, cover, and steam until wilted but not limp, tossing once or twice, about 3 minutes.
Uncover the pan and place the prepared fillets on top of the greens. Set the pan in the oven and roast until the opaque layers can be separated evenly when pulled with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven; drizzle the vinegar over the fillets and greens before serving.
Variation: Substitute other greens for the chard, like beet greens, escarole, or dandelion greens.
Thick White-Fleshed Fish Fillets Roasted over Potato Gratin
Slice the onions and potatoes thinly, less than 1/8 inch. A mandoline is admittedly the best tool for the job. Here, use a large fish fillet, which you will slice into pieces after baking. Makes 4 servings
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 large onion, very thinly sliced
1 pound large yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon golds, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon stemmed thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ pounds large, thick white-fleshed fish fillets, such as halibut or cod
½ pound thinly sliced bacon
1½ cups half-and-half
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a small bowl in the microwave.
Spread the onions into the bottom of a 13 × 9-inch baking dish. Lay the potato slices over them, overlapping as necessary. Drizzle the melted butter over the potato slices. Sprinkle the thyme, nutmeg, and pepper over them.
Set the fish fillet on top of the potatoes. Cover the fish with the bacon, overlapping the strips as necessary and tucking them under the fillet. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Pour the half-and-half around the fish in the dish, taking care not to get it on the bacon, but to get it all over the exposed potatoes.
Return to the oven and continue baking until the bacon is crisp, the potatoes are tender, and the fish is firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then transfer the fish to a cutting board and slice into four servings. Divide the potatoes and onions among four plates and top with the bacon-wrapped fish.
Thick White-Fleshed Fish Fillets with Roasted Parsnips and Garlic
The oven-caramelized vegetables are used for a stew to poach the fish. If you can only find larger fillets—say, 10 ounces each—cut them in half the short way for even cooking here. Warm the dinner plates before you add the fish and vegetables to the sauce so the dish stays hot at the table. Makes 4 servings
4 large parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
1 garlic head
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine (do not use dry vermouth)
1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves or 1½ teaspoons rubbed sage
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Four 4-to 6-ounce thick white-fleshed fish fillets, such as grouper, cod, or halibut
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the parsnips in a small, shallow roasting pan. Break the garlic