Sablefish Fisherman Style & Superbowl Chowder
Sablefish Steaks (1) Joe at Gotham Seafood may have thrown down the gauntlet, but I do believe we rose to the sablefish challenge.
In case you are wondering, fresh sablefish is a cod fish is a butterfish, is a fine, fine tasty fish.
One of the highest in omega3 fatty acids, it’s also richly delicious and healthy to boot.
Joe at Gotham Seafood may have thrown down the gauntlet, but I do believe we rose to the sablefish challenge.
In case you are wondering, fresh sablefish is a cod fish is a butterfish, is a fine, fine tasty fish.
One of the highest in omega3 fatty acids, it’s also richly delicious and healthy to boot.
On Night One we had our Black Sablefish done up as a ‘brodetto’, Veneto Fisherman Style.
Fish Stock:
2 medium carrots
3-4 stalks celery
1 medium onion
Salt, Pepper, Bay Leaves
Olive Oil
All the fish trimmings (head, tail, fins) and the shrimp shells
The Sauce:
2 cups of fish stock
1/2 cup white wine
4-5 peeled garlic cloves
4T butter
The Finishing Touch:
1 lb side stripe shrimp
parsley
2 cloves fresh garlic
juice of a lemon
glug of white wine
Prep: Cut off the head, tail and fins. Cut the body into large steaks.
Make a fish stock with the fish trimmings.
Fish Stock:
Roughly chop the carrots, celery and onion and saute in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add about a quart and a half of water and the fish trimmings. Simmer for 1/2 hour, then strain and return to medium heat and reduce by half.
The Fish:
Dredge each fish steak in salt and peppered flour.
In a large saucepan, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and the peeled cloves of garlic. Saute the garlic until it is dark, dark brown and remove from the pan and discard. I know, tossing garlic doesn’t sit well, but this bitter burnt garlic. Feel better?
Working in batches, saute the steaks. When all the steaks are done, place in an oven proof pan and keep warm in the oven.
In the saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups of the reduced fish stock, and the wine, and futher reduce by half and pour over the fish. Keep warm.
The Finishing Touch:
Peel and roughly chop the side stripe shrimp.
Finely chop the parsley and garlic together.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shrimp and parsely/garlic and cook for only a few moments, until the white of the shrimp turns from translucent to milk white.
Pour over the top of the fish and serve. A loaf of crusty bread for dunking wouldn’t be a bad idea, but let me tell you, there is no crusty bread to be had in Snowbird..or maybe in all of Utah.
What to do with leftover sablefish?
Superbowl Chowder
All the leftover sable fish, picked clean of bones and skin
1 large onion
2 T butter
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 cups of milk
2 cups of frozen corn
salt, pepper, smoked paprika & hot sauce
Finely slice the peeled onion and gently, slowly, lovingly saute the onions in the barely melted butter. Think of melting soft onions gently relaxing and giving up their oniony goodness into the air. Add the cubed potatoes, leftover fish with all of the sauce & juices, liberal amounts of pepper, corn and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the milk and cook for another 10 minutes.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with a dash of smoked paprika and hot sauce on top.
A good winter chowder even if you aren’t watching the Superbowl.