Blood orange and anchovy with fish? I couldn’t imagine what that would taste like. But, since restaurateur Anita Lo, whose recipe appeared in the Wall Street Journal, is a highly regarded chef, I decided to go for it. In case the dish didn’t turn out, I had left-over meatballs as a backup.
Lo and behold, the dish tasted terrific. Even George, who usually makes a face when I serve fish, was impressed and thought it was “highly original.”
Menu
Spanish Mackerel
Boiled Potatoes
Artichoke Vinaigrette
Wine: Bordeaux Blanc Sec “Chateau La Rame” 2009
Dessert: Cinnamon/Apple Cake
Recipe
2 four-ounce fillets of Spanish mackerel with skin
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Zest of ½ lemon, grated
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and finely sliced*
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter, more if needed
1 small blood orange, sectioned
Snipped chives for garnish
*I substituted anchovy paste for the anchovy fillets.
Preheat Broiler
Place a sauté pan over high heat. Add olive oil, shallot, garlic, pepper flakes, lemon zest, and anchovies to the pan. Cook until it sizzles. Add orange juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until the mixture thickens. Turn off the heat and swirl in the butter. Add the orange sections. Adjust seasoning. Divide the sauce among 2 plates
Meanwhile brush both sides of the mackerel with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place mackerel, skin side up, on the top of the oven rack. Cook until the skin starts to blister, about 3-5 minutes. Arrange the mackerel fillets over the sauce and garnish with chives.
Serving the gentle Bordeaux Blanc with the macho dish was a mistake. The more pungent Babich Sauvignon Blanc would have been a better choice.
No comments:
Post a Comment