August 31, 2012

Fish time

So far in this little alphabet game of mine, I’ve blogged about fruit, vegetables, spices, cheese, legumes…. but I have yet to write about one of my favorite foods. Fish! I love seafood, especially fresh fish and whenever I dine out, I almost always order a seafood entree. It’s such a treat to taste the chef’s interpretation of the fresh catch of the day. Even at home, I prepare salmon just about every week, with a tilapia or orange roughy thrown in here and there too. Let’s just say, we eat a lot of fish in my house (that is my parents and me…. my brother won’t touch it; he purses his lips when I even mention the word).

But, the mention of fish, specifically orange roughy, brings us to today’s topic on the letter O.

Orange roughy is a delicate white fish with a mild, sweet oceanic flavor. Named for their orange-red hue, orange roughy are a large species of fish that develop very slowly and do not begin to reproduce until late in their long lifespan. Like most other white-fleshed fish, orange roughy is an excellent source of lean protein. With about 14 grams of protein per 3-ounce portion, the fish only contains one gram of fat (which is unsaturated); although, as with most edible sea critters, orange roughy contains a noteworthy amount of cholesterol, about 17% of the daily recommended intake.

In addition to being a rich source of dietary cholesterol, orange roughy has also recently been under the strict scrutiny of health officials for its mercury content. Orange roughy has been placed on the list of fish to consume in moderation. Despite being denounced for containing cholesterol and mercury, orange roughy is still considered a healthy food.

When I prepare orange roughy at home, I buy individually frozen, vacuum-sealed wild-caught fillets from Trader Joe’s. After thawing properly in the refrigerator, the fish cooks up nicely, whether it’s baked, fried, grilled, or boiled; it’s just one of those fish that is hard to overcook and dry out.

I love my recipe for crunchy pistachio orange roughy with a cherry-Port glaze:

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 fillets of flaky white fish, such as Tilapia, Orange Roughy, or Sole
  • 1 cup pistachio nuts, coarsely ground in food processor
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 4 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup reduced-sugar cherry jam, such as Trader Joe’s brand
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • 1 cup Port wine
  • salt and freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for the fish. Wash and pat dry the fish fillets. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and the Dijon mustard. Pour the pistachios into a deep plate and set aside. Coat the pieces of fish with the Dijon mixture using a silicon brush (this will act as a tasty glue for the pistachios to stick to the fish). Then dredge the fillets in the pistachios and lay the fish onto the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil as needed and bake the fish for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust smells aromatic and looks slightly toasted. While the fish is baking, make the cherry gaze. In a small sauce pot, sweat the shallots with salt and black pepper in some extra virgin olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the Port to deglaze the pan. Then add the cherry jam and whisk into the sauce to break up the congealed pieces of jam. Let the jam melt into the sauce and turn the heat up to high to allow the sauce to thicken and reduce to about half. Remove the fish from the oven and drizzle the sauce over each fillet and serve immediately.

 

Filed Under: A-Z food education