**Arctic Char with Spinach Butter: A Culinary Journey to the North**
Indulge in the delectable flavors of the Arctic char, a prized fish renowned for its delicate texture and rich, buttery taste. This versatile fish is expertly prepared in three tantalizing recipes that showcase its natural goodness. From the classic pan-seared Arctic char with a luscious spinach butter sauce to the aromatic grilled Arctic char infused with herbs and lemon, each dish promises a culinary adventure. Discover the art of cooking Arctic char and embark on a taste sensation like no other.
CRISPY SKIN ARCTIC CHAR WITH BUTTER-BRAISED CABBAGE
Steps:
- For the butter-braised cabbage: Cook the bacon in a large high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the butter to same pan, followed by the onions. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, vinegar and cabbage. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the cabbage and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated. Stir the crisped bacon into the cabbage and season with salt and pepper.
- For the arctic char: The secret to crispy skin is lack of moisture. Leave your fish uncovered in the fridge 10 to 15 minutes to dry out. Then dry the fish with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, place the fillets skin-side down in the pan, cooking in batches if needed. Using the back of a spatula, press down hard on the fillets for at least 20 seconds to ensure that the entire skin has full contact with the bottom of the pan. This will help to achieve the crispiest skin possible.
- Continue cooking until the flesh cooks and there is only a bit of pink left, 5 to 6 minutes. The skin should be pulling away from the bottom of the pan. If necessary, use a spatula to loosen the skin before flipping. Flip the fish and continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute before transferring to a plate to rest.
- Gently remove the fish skin with a paring knife and place the skin back into the pan, flesh-side down. Fry another 1 to 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate, at which point it will harden like a super-crispy fish chip.
- Serve the crisp arctic char over the butter-braised cabbage and top with the crispy fish skin.
- Cook's Note: Removing your fried fish skin to a wire rack will help it harden by letting the air circulate around it.
ARCTIC CHAR WITH SPINACH BUTTER
Darina Allen, known as the Julia Child of Ireland, has run the Ballymaloe Cooking School on an organic farm in east Cork for more than 30 years. Here's a lovely dish from her repertoire, a whole fish wrapped in a foil package, seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper, butter and a sprig of tarragon. The fish emerges moist and juicy, ready for a creamy butter sauce packed with chopped spinach and herbs. Ms. Allen makes it with pink trout, which are plentiful in Ireland, but this recipe calls for Arctic char, which is more widely available in the United States. But you could substitute pink trout (also called coho trout) if you can find it, or large wild trout, or even thick fillets of steelhead trout or salmon.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, main course
Time 50m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Put spinach in a mixing bowl and pour boiling water over to wilt it. Drain in a colander, rinse with cool water and squeeze completely dry. Chop the spinach as finely as you can and set aside.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse fish and pat dry. Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Put a few tarragon springs in the belly cavity.
- Line a roasting pan with a big piece of foil slightly longer than the fish, leaving ends hanging over. Smear middle section of foil lengthwise with 1 tablespoon soft butter and set fish on top. Smear top of fish with remaining tablespoon soft butter. Fold the sides of foil to the center and press against fish. Twist both ends of foil to make a tight package. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let fish rest 5 to 10 minutes, still in the foil package, while you make the sauce.
- Put crème fraîche in a wide saucepan or skillet over medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for a minute or so, until slightly reduced. Add cooked spinach, stirring to coat. Season with salt and pepper and turn heat to low. Quickly stir in 1 tablespoon chilled butter at a time. Each spoonful should be just melted before adding the next, to make a creamy sauce. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, tarragon and chives.
- Transfer fish to a warm serving platter. Carefully remove foil. (Fish should be cooked through but moist.) Peel away and discard skin from top of fish. Pour any collected pan juices into the sauce, then spoon sauce over fish. Serve with boiled new potatoes if desired.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 635, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 43 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 57 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 871 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
ARCTIC CHAR WITH LEMON-CAPER BUTTER
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Combine 4 tablespoons butter, the capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl with a rubber spatula; set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread pieces, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 4 minutes; transfer to a plate.
- Wipe out the skillet; add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin-side down. Cook until the skin is browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 more minute; transfer to a plate.
- Meanwhile, add the haricots verts to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates and sprinkle with the croutons. Add the fish and top with the lemon-caper butter; serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 400, Fat 27 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Cholesterol 83 milligrams, Sodium 671 milligrams, Carbohydrate 13 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 30 grams, Sugar 3 grams
OH MY ARCTIC CHAR!
I'm a huge fish fan and I'm always looking for new ways to make fish. I couldn't find any recipe that sounded tasty on the net for arctic char so I decided to try my cooking talent and come up with my own recipe. My husband and I couldn't believe how delicious this turned out, all of the flavors balanced perfectly. He wasn't hungry that night and ended up eating majority of the fish, haha! This recipe will not disappoint.
Provided by melanienl
Time 25m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Season arctic char with salt, place in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with lime zest.
- Combine lime juice, olive oil, sherry, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until garlic is finely chopped. Spread mixture over fish and season with black pepper and cayenne pepper.
- Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes, basting with pan juices about halfway through. When the fish is close to being cooked, switch the oven to broil for remaining two minutes or until browned.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 545.1 calories, Carbohydrate 10.2 g, Cholesterol 38.3 mg, Fat 38.7 g, Fiber 1.5 g, Protein 31.8 g, SaturatedFat 5.9 g, Sodium 455.3 mg, Sugar 0.8 g
Tips:
- Choose the freshest Arctic char fillets you can find. Look for fillets that are firm and have a bright pink color.
- Pat the Arctic char fillets dry before cooking. This will help the skin crisp up and prevent the fish from steaming.
- Season the Arctic char fillets generously with salt and pepper. You can also add other seasonings, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika.
- Cook the Arctic char fillets over medium heat. This will help the fish cook evenly without overcooking.
- Baste the Arctic char fillets with melted butter during cooking. This will help keep the fish moist and flavorful.
- Serve the Arctic char fillets immediately with your favorite sides. Some good options include roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Conclusion:
Arctic char is a delicious and healthy fish that is easy to cook. By following these tips, you can make a perfect Arctic char fillet every time. Whether you are grilling, pan-frying, or baking Arctic char, be sure to use fresh fish, season it well, and cook it over medium heat. With a little practice, you will be able to cook Arctic char like a pro!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love