Always on Trend: Pan Seared Fish with Spiced Tomato and Fennel Sauce
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by Chef Karista Bennett[/x_text][/x_column][x_column bg_color=”” type=”3/4″ style=”padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; “][x_text][nextpage title=”At Home w/Karista” ]I wish I could tell you I pay close attention to trends. While I may not always dress in trendy fashion, although I do love a great pair of jeans and a soft wool cardigan, I do however pay attention to the important trends like food, health and nutrition.
If you were to walk through my home, you’d know I don’t pay much attention to home décor trends either. My kitchen and cozy living area look as if a crayon box exploded, with most of the primary colors represented. I do love a good splash of color.
I have quirky paintings of farms and farm animals from an artist in Scotland hanging on my wall, along with a brightly colored print of my husband’s favorite airplane. A canvas seascape purchased in Bar Harbor, Maine 25 years ago that feels like a familiar moment suspended in time – I just can’t bare to part with it.
You’ll find a few empty bottles of our most prized spirits sitting on top of my pale gray cookbook and wine cabinet — mostly because the bottles are pretty and because I didn’t want to forget the name of the particular gin or bourbon that danced on my palate and made me want to swim in 1950’s appetizers.
One will also find various photos of my darling gals, my brightly colored food photos on canvas in my dining room and a treasured appliqué, which was hand stitched by my dearest Auntie, greets everyone who enters. My soft, pale purple office wall is adorned with art from my daughters and dearest of friends, reminding me how much I’m loved and how much I love them.
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[nextpage title=”Food Trends ” ]My home may not be trendy but of course, the food served in my kitchen is often that of current trends – like veggies, bone broth, locally sourced food, ancient grains and Hawaiian cuisine.
Vegetables of old like kohlrabi and jicama, dandelion and collard greens are making a comeback with mainstream veggies getting recipe makeovers. I see a lot of African and highly spiced flavors becoming more popular, as well as delicious ancient grains thrown in the mix.
Bone broth continues to achieve notoriety, as it should, and more restaurants, eateries and café’s have become wise to the growing number of health conscious consumers with little broth shops popping up in larger metro areas.
I don’t believe farm to table will ever go out of style, although nay-sayers shun the phrase. Despite the argument that the phrase is over used, I continue to champion its positive benefits – not only for our local communities and farms, but for our overall good health. Companies like Barn2Door are making it easier for local and regional fresh food to be delivered to your doorstep.
I can’t end this article without a shout out to one of my favorite genre’s of food that I believe will continue to be hot this year. Hawaiian! Since my first visit to Maui many years ago, I’ve been enamored with the unconventional combination of lush and vibrant flavors that define this decadent cuisine. One of my most popular recipes, inspired by my visit to Maui, is my Slow Cooked Hawaiian Roast Pork with Coconut Rice.
Seafood never goes out of style and because I live close to the Pacific Ocean, seafood is a staple in my kitchen. Seafood is still trendy and I believe will continue to trend while using more creative ingredients, unique fish and shellfish that haven’t always been popular. Currently, I can find baby octopus in my seafood market!
Pan seared fish makes an appearance in my kitchen at least twice a week. Cod, true cod, snapper, black cod, Pacific Sole, mackerel, ahi tuna and of course salmon. These are just the typical few we are lucky to find here in the Pacific coast. All of these fish are great for pan searing. For this recipe I used a fresh swordfish, which I haven’t used in several years due to over fishing. Sometimes I can find the Hawaiian fish, Ono, which is also great for this recipe.
I paired this heartier, meatier fish with a spiced tomato fennel sauce, in the French style, and then served it over rice. It made for a quick dinner that is not only enchanting to the palate but also quite lovely when plated.
I served it in a bowl with sauce and rice. A one bowl meal for a busy weeknight. But if I were serving this for guests, a salad of watercress and escarole tossed in a lemon vinaigrette and served with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or even a Chianti or Pinot Noir would be a lovely complement.
Now that I’ve mentioned all this food, I’m hungry! Wishing you a very Happy and Delicious 2016!
Karista
Page 1: At Home w/Karista / Page 2: Food Trends / Page 3: Fish Recipe
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- For the Fish:
- 1 ½ lbs fish (any heartier, meatier fish wiill do, including salmon. I used Swordfish, but Ono, Black Cod, Halibut, Mahi Mahi, or Tuna would also be good)
- 2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- For the Sauce:
- 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium to large shallots, finely diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup chopped fennel bulb (save fronds for garnish)
- 1 – 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
- Pinch of saffron (a tiny pinch goes a long way)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
- ½ cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Squeeze of lemon
- Coarsely chopped fennel fronds for garnish
- White Rice or Wild Rice Pilaf
- To Make the Sauce:
- Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the the shallots and fennel and saute until wilted and slightly golden. Then stir in the garlic, pinch of saffron, Italian parsley and cook for about one minute longer.
- Stir in the white wine and let it reduce by half. Then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the tomatoes. Place the pan back over the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer on low while you prepare the fish.
- To prepare the fish:
- Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet or saute pan over medium high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot and almost smoking, add the fish and brown on both sides. Fish typically cooks 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. About five minutes each side, depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Once the fish is done, transfer to a plate or platter.
- To assemble, place a mound of rice to one side of the dish and a ladle of sauce on the other side. Place the fish on top of the sauce, squeeze with a bit of lemon and garnish with fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
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