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Recipe: Pan Roasted Arctic Char, Cannellini Beans, Baby Artichokes & Preserved Lemons

July 12, 2010

Pan Roasted Arctic Char, Cannellini Beans, Baby Artichokes and Preserved Lemons

There are several components to this dish but the end result is well worth the time it takes to prepare it.  The beans can easily be made ahead of time.  The sequence should be:  prepare the beans first, then prepare and cook the artichokes about 30 – 40 minutes before cooking the fish.  The preserved lemons may be purchased from a specialty food store, or you may make your own but it takes 3 – 4 weeks before they are ‘preserved’ and ready to eat.

Serves

6

Preparation Time

2 – 2 ½ hours, all components except for the preserved lemons

Cannellini Beans

Preparation Time

45 – 60 minutes

Ingredients

4 – 14 oz. cans of cannellini beans, drained OR 4 cups cooked beans

6 – 8 garlic cloves, chopped

4 – 5 medium sized tomatoes, cut in 1/4ths, or 1/8ths wedges

8 – 10 Tbs olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp herbes de Provence

Method

Sauté garlic in olive oil in medium sized skillet, or sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute.  Do not brown.

Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, and herbes de provence.  Stir together and cook until tomatoes soften and lose their shape about 4 – 6 minutes.  Stir occasionally to keep from burning.

Add beans and stir together with tomato-garlic mixture.  Cook until beans are heated through about 5 minutes or so.  Check seasonings, and add salt if needed.

Baby Artichokes

Preparation Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. baby artichokes, about 10 artichokes

1 lemon

3 – 4 Tbs olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

¾ tsp salt

Pepper, freshly ground to taste

Method

Cut  the lemon in half, squeeze into a bowl of water with several ice cubes.  Save the lemon halves.

Remove tough outer leaves of artichoke, cut 1 inch off top, and rub with the lemon halves.  Add the artichokes to the ice water.  They can be stored in the refrigerator for several hours until ready to cook.

Cut the artichokes in half, return to ice water if not cooking immediately.  If ready to cook, cut them in half, drain off excess water but don’t dry, and place in a 10 – 12 inch skillet, cut side down.  Drizzle them with water, sprinkle garlic over.  Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of water to the pan, just enough to keep them moist while cooking.

Cover the pan and place over low heat.  After about 5 minutes check to be sure they are cooking and that the water has not cooked away.  After 10 minutes turn them over and recover.  As they cook check to be sure water doesn’t completely cook away.  Keep them barely moist.  If you hear a sizzle, add more water.  Let cook for 20 – 30 minutes.  When they are cooked they will be tender, and there will be almost no liquid left.  Season with ground pepper.

Arctic Char

Preparation Time

10 – 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 ½ lbs., Arctic char fillets, skin removed

4 -5 Tbs. olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan

Method

Season the fish with salt and pepper.  Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the fish.  Allow to cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes each side.

To Serve

Reheat the beans over low heat while the fish is cooking.  When beans are hot spoon a thick layer of beans on to a platter, or serving dish, or directly onto dinner plates.  Lay the cooked fish fillets atop the beans, add the baby artichokes around the fish, garnish top of fish with roughly sliced, or cut pieces of preserved lemon.

Preserved Lemons, (Optional)

Preparation Time

45 minutes

Ingredients

10 ripe Meyer, or organic lemons

1/2 cup coarse salt, Kosher salt may be used

Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Scrub 6 of the lemons and dry well.  Quarter the 6 lemons cutting from the top to 1/2 inch from the bottom leaving them intact at the base.  Open the lemons gently and sprinkle salt on the exposed inner flesh, then reshape the fruit.  Toss with the remaining salt and pack into a 3-4 cup dry, sterile Mason jar with a glass or plastic-coated lid.

With a wooden spoon, gently push down the lemons.  Squeeze the juice from the remaining 4 lemons and pour into the jar.  Close the jar tightly and let the lemons ripen at room temperature for 30 days, shaking the jar each day to redistribute the salt and juice.  (Within a few days the salt will draw out enough juice to completely cover the lemons.)

For longer storage, add olive oil and refrigerate for up to 1 year.  Rinse the lemons before using.

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