Roasted Fish With Leeks And Olive Salsa Verde Food

BRANZINO WITH CLAMS, LEEKS AND SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• For the salsa verde: In a food processor, combine the olives, cocktail onions, cornichons, capers and anchovies and blend until smooth. Set aside in a bowl.
• In a food processor or blender, puree the parsley with the olive oil until smooth. Do not puree too long or it may get too hot and cause the parsley to darken. Reserve in the food processor. Just before serving, pour the parsley oil into the olive-caper mixture and mix to combine.
• For the leeks: In a saute pan over medium heat, add some olive oil. Add the leek coins and thyme and season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks start to wilt, 8 to 10 minutes. Deglaze with some vegetable stock and cover. Continue to cook, adding more stock as necessary, until the leeks are tender, another 10 to 15 minutes. Add additional salt if needed. Reserve.
• For the branzino: Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt.
• Put some canola oil in the pan and wait until it's just about to hit the smoking point. Place the fish in the pan skin-side down (at this point the fish will buckle). Wait 30 seconds, then press the fish down so the skin makes contact with the pan and begins to crisp up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the skin is crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Place the thyme sprig on the fish and spoon some of the hot oil over the flesh to finish cooking it, about 1 minute. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the leeks and clams and deglaze with some vegetable stock. Cover and cook until the clams steam open, about 2 minutes. Finish with the parsley and olive oil and adjust the seasoning.
• Put 1 tablespoon of the salsa verde on a plate, arrange the vegetables and clams on top and top with the fish fillet.

HERB-ROASTED SEA BASS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly brush baking sheet with olive oil. Place fish fillets on baking sheet. Brush fish with olive oil; drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then herbs.
• Bake fish until just opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Transfer fish to plates. Spoon some Salsa Verde over fish. Pass remaining Salsa Verde separately.

ROASTED FISH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Begin by preparing the vegetable base for the fish. Heat 1/3 cup of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes until just tender. Set aside on a platter. Add the zucchini to the pan and cook in the same way until just tender and remove to the platter with the eggplant. Add to the pan, smashed anchovies, onion, garlic and fennel. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until caramelized then add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for a further 5 minutes until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and add the red pepper flakes. Combine all the vegetables together in a large roasting pan.
• Now prepare the fish. Get your fishmonger to prepare the tail piece of your fish so it is cleaned and boned, and ready to go when you get home. Begin by vertically scoring the fish in 4 places, skin side up so the cuts pierce the skin and reveal the flesh. Prepare the basil compound butter by chopping half of the basil and mixing it with the room temperature butter until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• Season the piece of fish with salt and pepper and smear the top of the fish with basil butter then take the whole fish and transfer to the roasting tray and place on top of the bed of vegetables.
• Sprinkle the buttered fish with the bread crumb mixture.
• Place in hot oven and roast for 12 to 15 minutes for medium rare, then finish under the broiler for 2 minutes to crisp the skin. Do not over cook, otherwise the fish will be dry.
• To serve, portion the fish along the score marks, serve with a scoop of the vegetables.
• Put bread, herbs, garlic and 1/3 cup of olive oil in a food processor and pulse until you have the texture of coarse bread crumbs. They should be a vibrant green from the olive oil and the herbs. Season well with salt and pepper and toast over medium heat in a large saute pan until crispy.

ROASTED FISH WITH LEEKS AND OLIVE SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Season fish all over with salt and pepper, and set aside while you prepare the leeks.
• Cut the leeks into matchsticks: Place a leek half, flat side down, on a cutting board and cut it in half crosswise. Then slice the pieces lengthwise into thin (1/4-inch-thick) matchsticks. Repeat with remaining leeks.
• Spread leeks out on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly drizzle them with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Push aside the leeks to create 4 spaces in the center of the sheet pan just large enough for the fish fillets, then place the fillets in those cleared spaces. (Avoid putting the fish on top of the leeks, which won't cook as well if they're covered.)
• Drizzle fish with oil. Roast until the fish is opaque and just cooked through but not yet flaky, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish. The leeks surrounding the fish will be soft and silky, while those at the edges of the pan may turn delightfully brown and crisp in spots. If the fish is done but you think the leeks need a little more time, transfer the fish to a serving platter, tent with foil to keep warm, and continue to cook the leeks for another few minutes.
• While the fish is in the oven, make the salsa verde: Using a fine rasp grater, grate 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze in 1 tablespoon juice.
• Stir in olives, cilantro, garlic, red-pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Slowly drizzle in oil, stirring to combine. Taste and add more salt, red-pepper or another squeeze of lemon, if needed.
• Place fish on plates and surround with leeks. Top with olive salsa verde.

GLAZED LEEKS WITH PINE NUT SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Trim root ends of leeks (leave as intact as possible so they don't break apart while cooking) and cook in a large pot of boiling salted water until meltingly tender (a paring knife should slide through the thickest part with no resistance), 15-20 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring chile, honey, ¾ cup vinegar, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Halve leeks lengthwise and transfer to a serving dish with high sides (you want the glaze to cover leeks enough to coat). Pour warm vinegar mixture over leeks and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Let cool.
• Toss pine nuts, parsley, oil, capers, and remaining 2 Tbsp. vinegar in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, give leeks another toss in the glaze; spoon pine nut salsa verde over.

CREAMY LEEKS WITH ROAST CHICKEN AND SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°c, fan 180°c. Put the leeks and garlic in the bottom of a shallow, kidded casserole dish. Mix together the white wine, stock, thyme, cream and mustard. Pour over the leeks and stir to coat. Score each chicken leg 3 times with a sharp knife and place on top of the leeks. Season, cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
• Turn the oven down to gas 4, 180°c, fan 160°c. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 mins until the chicken is golden and the juices run clear.
• Meanwhile, blitz all of the salsa ingredients in a food processor with 1tbsp water until a rough paste forms.
• Serve the chicken legs with the leeks and the salsa verde drizzled over. Serve with mashed potato, if you like.