One Skillet Arctic Char Food

ARCTIC CHAR WITH LEMON-CAPER BUTTER

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.

TERIYAKI ARCTIC CHAR WITH PICKLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Combine the rice, 1 3/4 cups water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low; cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside, covered.
• Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Peel the carrots and turnip and shave with a vegetable peeler into thin strips. Combine the shaved vegetables with the vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Mix and massage gently with your hands to evenly coat.
• Bring the teriyaki sauce, honey and sesame oil to a simmer in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until thickened, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Arrange the fish skin-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Brush with the teriyaki mixture. Broil until glazed and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Divide the rice, pickled vegetables and fish among plates. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Top the vegetables with the seaweed snack strips.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH WARM LENTILS

Steps:

• Combine the lentils, bay leaf and a generous pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the shallot, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; set aside.
• Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Coat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the fish skin-side down, moving the pieces around so the skin is evenly coated with oil (it?s OK to crowd the fish in the pan). Set the pan over medium heat and cook, occasionally pressing down on the fish, until the skin is golden and the fish is mostly cooked through, about 15 minutes. Flip and cook until opaque, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.
• Drain the lentils and add them to the shallot mixture. Stir in the celery, mint, pistachios and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Divide the lentil mixture among shallow bowls and top with the fish.

HERB-STUFFED ROAST ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the leaves from 2 sage sprigs, 1 parsley sprig, all of the thyme sprigs and the rosemary; finely chop along with the lemon zest. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil to make a paste; set aside.
• Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Run the back of a knife over the skin of the fish to remove any excess moisture; pat dry inside and out. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cut 4 slits through the skin on each side of the fish with a sharp knife; rub inside and out with 1 tablespoon olive oil, making sure to get inside the slits. Season the fish inside and out with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; spread the herb paste all over the inside.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 130 degrees F to 135 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the leaves from the remaining 1 sage sprig and 2 parsley sprigs; add to the hot oil and cook, stirring, until crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

SEARED ARCTIC CHAR WITH BROCCOLINI, OLIVES, AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccolini and stir 1 minute. Pour 1/2 cup water over, cover, and cook just until broccolini is crisp-tender and water evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Stir in olives and 2 teaspoons orange peel. Transfer mixture to bowl; set aside (do not clean skillet).
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to skillet, skin side down, and cook until skin is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn fish over and cook just until fish is opaque in center, about 2 1/2 minutes longer. Transfer to plates. Return broccolini mixture to same skillet to rewarm; stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture over fish. Drizzle fish lightly with oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar (or more if desired). Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon slivered orange peel and serve.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH SPINACH BUTTER

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.