Ok, labor day has come and gone, but is it still summer? Technically summer is over, vacations are done, everyone is back to school and back to work. Actually though, summer does not end till the middle of september; so says the calendar. Now let’s take a brief moment and step outside, yeah that’s right it’s still hot and muggy! Hot and muggy translates into summer time for me and just like ever one else I hate using the oven, eating braised items, and heavy courses in the summer time. However, I do enjoy a light, fresh, crisp food when it is hot out and when dinner time comes I think of fish. Now yes, fish is good all times of the year, but especially good during the hot season. Fish tend to follow the warmer waters, and being able to procure a fish locally that may be hours old versus days old or even frozen; well there is no question on which to choose.
Being a west coast boy, there is a plethora of local fresh fish. Black Cod, Halibut, Sea Bass just to name a few. All of these are terrific tasting and lend themselves to various cooking styles, not to mention to California wines. When it is time for dinner it is always best to choose your fish, then cooking style, followed by the wine.
Remember, every fish will perform differently when cooked. Some fish will remain firm, while others will flake apart. Cooking techniques will not only effect the texture of the fish, but it will also effect the over-all flavor of the fish. Grilled fish will pick up a
Little smoke flavor, roasted fish will help intensify flavors, while fried fish will have some oil flavor as well as the flavor from the breading. Finally, the wine will be effected by everything on the plate, but keep in mind to bring the plate to the wine–you can change the plate but you can not change the wine. Taking everything into consideration, if you desire to serve a chard, make sure and prepare your fish to meet the needs of the chard.
Not only is fish (especially local fish) versatile in cooking, it is versatile with its flavor applications. Being a man of South Western roots, I crave a good, proper South Western dish. Just to clarify, proper South Western food should be bold and flavorful. The spice of the dish should enhance the over all plate and the spices themselves should “get” you in the back of the throat. If the spice over powers the entire dish, it is not proper South Western — but that is a whole another post entirely.
This particular recipe was done for a special on a Friday night (fish Friday, it’s a catholic thing), and sold out inside of a 1 1/2 hours. In this case; I chose local Halibut, combined it with chipotle, various different cooking techniques, and finally paired it with a riesling.
Chipotle Halibut
2 lbs halibut
1/2 can chipotle
1 lb butter at room temp
1 cup of panko(bread crumbs)
1/4 bunch of parsley
Salt/pepper
Oil
Papaya salsa
1 each papaya
1/2 bunch of chives
4 each cherry tomatoes
1/4 bunch cilantro
Drizzle of EVOO
For salsa:
1. Seed and peel papaya. Small dice and add to a mixing bowl.
2. Slice tomatoes in half, add to the papaya
3. Slice chives, and mince cilantro then add to bowl.
4. Season with oil, salt, pepper and mix gently. Leave at room temp and set aside for later.
For fish:
1. Place the chipotle in a blender and purée, then stir into butter with a spoon or place butter and chipotle in a food processor, then process till smooth. Reserve for later.
2.Chop parsley and mix with panko (or bread crumbs), then reserve for later.
3. Cut halibut into about 8 oz portions, trim off any unedible pieces.
4. Heat up a skillet over medium heat
5. Season fish with salt and pepper, both sides, then brush one side with butter. Give the fish a good coat of butter to the one side.
6. Dip the side with butter into the panko mix. When you lift the fish out of the breading ensure it is coated well.
7. Add a touch of oil to the skillet, add the fish to the skillet breaded side down first. The fish should immediately start to sizzle; careful, make sure to manage the heat as not to burn the breading. A medium high flame should work just fine, but again may need to be adjusted.
8. Cook the fish for about 3-4 mins on each side, depending on the thickness of the filet. Use a spatula rather than a set of tongs to flip the fish over, this gives the fish the support it needs during movement.
9. When done, lay the fish on a plate along with your favorite sides. Top the fish with some of the Papaya salsa and ENJOY!
Now at this time let’s return back to the wine. As mentioned before, this dish will pair beautifully with a riesling. Yes I have paired previous recipes with Riesling and no it is not my favorite; it’s my wife’s (so I tend to show it a little favoritism). However, in my opinion riesling is a “strong” wine capable of handling some many different types of food. It is especially capable of handling spicy food as well as fruit. Riesling carries a little citrus, slight sweet as well as being low in tannins. It possesses a good balance – beginning, middle and finish. Not only is it a great drinking wine, but it is an absolutely great wine to pair with your meal; but hey, you don’t need to take my word for it just ask my wife.
dinnerbyjr 