Red Chile Rubbed Grilled Arctic Char Food

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.

GRILLED CHILE-LIME ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a large heavy knife.
• Stir together garlic paste, lime juice, oil, sugar, and chipotle chile in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
• Remove any bones from fish with tweezers, then pat fish dry and place, skin side down, on a plastic-wrap-lined large tray.
• Rub chile mixture all over flesh side of fish, then wrap plastic around fish and marinate at cool room temperature 15 minutes.
• While fish is marinating, prepare grill for cooking over indirect heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure
• To cook fish using a charcoal grill: Lightly oil grill rack, then put fish, skin side down, on grill rack with no coals underneath and grill, covered with lid, 4 minutes. Using 2 metal spatulas, loosen fish from grill rack and turn fish over, rotating 180 degrees. Grill fish, covered with lid, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more, then loosen from grill rack with spatulas and transfer to a clean platter. If desired, lift skin from fish with tongs and cook skin on rack directly over coals, turning over occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve over fish.
• To cook fish using a gas grill: Lightly oil grill rack, then put fish, skin side down, on rack above shut-off burner and grill, covered with lid, 4 minutes. Using 2 metal spatulas, loosen skin from grill rack and turn fish over. Grill fish, covered with lid, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more, then loosen from grill rack with spatulas and transfer to a clean platter.
• If desired, lift skin from fish with tongs and cook skin directly over a burner, uncovered, turning over occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve over fish.

PAN SEARED ARCTIC CHAR AND CULTIVATED MUSSELS IN A SMOKED TOMATO AND GREEN GARLIC BROTH WITH POSOLE

Steps:

• Green Garlic Butter: Place butter, garlic and cilantro in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pan Seared Char: Heat olive oil in a large saute over high heat until almost smoking. Season char with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes or until just cooked through.
• Grilled Tomato Broth: Preheat grill pan or grill. Slice tomatoes in half vertically, brush with oil, season with salt and pepper, grill until soft, and coarsely chop. Bring fish stock to a simmer, add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Place the mixture in a food processor and process until smooth. Put the mixture into a clean saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the mussels and cook until all the mussels have opened, discarding any that do not. Remove the mussels to a bowl. Whisk a few tablespoons of the butter into the tomato broth and season with salt and pepper. Add the mussels back to the broth. Stir in posole.
• Assembly: Place 1 char fillet in the center of each shallow bowl. Ladle sauce over and around the fish. Divide the mussels among the bowls and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with crusty bread, such as a baguette.

GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.
• Using a sharp knife, make two vertical slices through the skin of fish fillets, taking care not to cut the flesh; season with sea salt and pepper.
• Place fillets on grill, skin-side down, and grill until skin is crisp and fish is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn fish and continue grilling until cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle fish with Maldon sea salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR WITH HORSERADISH CREMA

Steps:

• Make the horseradish crema: Peel horseradish with a vegetable peeler and coarsely grate. Combine grated horseradish with sour cream, Dijon, chives and dill in a medium bowl and mix well. Season crema with lemon juice and salt to taste. (Crema can be made in advance; chill until you are ready to serve.)
• Heat grill to medium-high heat if you are using gas; if you have a charcoal grill, you want a nice hot bed of coals.
• Coat fish well with olive oil and season with salt. Set fish on the grill skin side down and cook, covered, until the flesh of the fish begins to turn opaque and the skin is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a grill spatula to carefully flip the fish and finish cooking to medium, about 2 minutes more.
• Spread horseradish crema on a serving platter or individual plates and place cooked fish on top with the skin side up. Garnish with dill and lemon wedges. Serve extra crema on the side.