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
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Barsha Ranjit
[email protected]This recipe is a great way to cook Arctic char. The fish is cooked evenly and the spinach butter sauce is very flavorful. I served it with roasted potatoes and asparagus, and it was a delicious meal.
Shannon Tucker
[email protected]I love this recipe! It's so easy to make and the results are always amazing. The Arctic char is always cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce is to die for. I highly recommend this recipe.
Matej Vlasic
[email protected]This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it's worth the effort. The Arctic char is cooked to perfection and the spinach butter sauce is amazing. I served it with roasted vegetables and it was a delicious and elegant meal.
Bilkisu Abubakar
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of fish, but this recipe changed my mind. The Arctic char was cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce was amazing. I'll definitely be making this again.
sirag mohamed
[email protected]This recipe is a keeper! The Arctic char was cooked to perfection and the spinach butter sauce was divine. I served it with rice and steamed broccoli, and it was a delicious and healthy meal.
Jinka Swamy
[email protected]I love the simplicity of this recipe. It's easy to make and the results are delicious. The Arctic char is cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce is amazing. I served it with roasted vegetables and it was a great meal.
Johnny Saiz
[email protected]This recipe is easy to follow and the results are amazing. The Arctic char is flaky and moist, and the spinach butter sauce is creamy and flavorful. I served it with roasted potatoes and it was a perfect meal.
I'm human By the way
[email protected]I'm not a fan of fish, but I loved this recipe. The Arctic char was cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce was delicious. I served it with rice and steamed broccoli, and it was a great meal.
Kola Badmus
[email protected]This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it's worth the effort. The Arctic char is cooked to perfection and the spinach butter sauce is amazing. I served it with roasted potatoes and it was a delicious and elegant meal.
Emahni White
[email protected]I made this recipe for a dinner party and it was a huge success. The Arctic char was perfectly cooked and the spinach butter sauce was divine. I served it with roasted vegetables and it was a beautiful and delicious meal.
Caroline Unotjari Kuvare
[email protected]This recipe is a great way to cook Arctic char. The fish is cooked evenly and the spinach butter sauce is very flavorful. I served it with roasted potatoes and asparagus, and it was a delicious meal.
Mohammed Mansur
[email protected]I love this recipe! It's so easy to make and the results are always amazing. The Arctic char is always cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce is to die for. I highly recommend this recipe.
Espressocookie838
[email protected]This recipe is a winner! The fish was flaky and flavorful, and the spinach butter sauce was creamy and delicious. I served it with rice and steamed broccoli, and it was a perfect meal.
Jeannie Judy
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of fish, but this recipe changed my mind. The Arctic char was cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce was amazing. I'll definitely be making this again.
Agi Helen
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a special occasion dinner. The Arctic char is a beautiful fish and the spinach butter sauce is so elegant. I served it with grilled vegetables and it was a hit with my guests.
Joseph Dalton
[email protected]I love the simplicity of this recipe. It's easy to follow and the ingredients are easy to find. The fish cooks quickly and the sauce is delicious. I will definitely be making this again!
GT MARTINO
[email protected]I've made this recipe several times now and it never disappoints. The Arctic char is always flaky and moist, and the spinach butter sauce is so flavorful. It's a great weeknight meal that comes together in no time.
Gentle Star
[email protected]This Arctic char recipe is a keeper! The fish was cooked perfectly and the spinach butter sauce was divine. I served it with roasted potatoes and asparagus, and it was a hit with the whole family.