On Sunday, Derek and I took a trip to Chinatown for some dim sum and to simply walk around this crowded sector of San Francisco that we usually just dread passing through while on the bus. An amazing place, we spent a total of $5.40 on dim sum and both of us were completely full afterward - definitely the place to go if you are on a tight budget! One of the characteristic sights in Chinatown are storefronts featuring lots of raw meat and seafood. Huge fish heads, just laying there. Surprisingly, this was the time we discussed what we were going to make for dinner - fish! No surprisingly, I had no desire to buy our meal from one of the Chinatown shops. While it may have been extremely cost effective, the thought of the fish laying out there and not knowing where it came from really didn't sit well with Derek's or my stomach.
So onto the fish market in the Marina - safe, clean, reliable. I picked out a cod and Derek chose some other large whitefish that was a bit more expensive.
Given that we have an abundance of potatoes (thanks to our bi-weekly fruit/vegetable shipment) I thought of making a potato crust for the fish - I think that Mom or Dad had done this before for some sort of meat, if not, I have no idea where the thought came from.
To go with the fish, we wanted to use some of the winter greens that we had laying around - and then thought of having lentils too as something more substantial.
When we put all of the pieces together, here is what we came up with:
Potato-Crusted Fish
1 Medium Yukon Gold Potato, peeled and thinly sliced (ideally using a mandoline, we only had a peeler)
Brush/Spray potato slices with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Season fish with a bit of salt and pepper and rub with a bit of EVOO.
Layer potato slices over one side of the fish.
Heat oil and butter in a pan and place the fish potato-side down into the hot pan (make sure there is a good amount of fat at the bottom so the potatoes don't stick). Cook until the potatoes turn brown and crispy. Flip the fish over and finish cooking on the opposite side (cooking time depends on the fish).
Derek made a Mustard Burre Blanc to go on top of the fish:
Apple cider vinegar
Red onion
white pepper
Lemon, juiced
Butter, diced
Mustard
Here's the basic recipe that he based his sauce on:
In a shallow pan, add the wine, vinegar, shallots, peppercorns and lemon juice. Reduce liquid by 2/3. Slowly whisk the cubes of butter one at a time into reduced wine mixture to create an emulsion. After all the butter is incorporated into sauce, whisk in the Anna Mae’s Smoky Mustard. Strain sauce through sieve and keep warm on stove.
Additionally, we made a Braised Lentils and Greens:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1.5 slices bacon, cut in thin strips
3/4 pound collard greens and swiss chard
1 cup vegetable stock (or more, make sure lentils are covered)
3/4 cup green lentils
4 kumquats
Salt and pepper
Apple Cider vinegar
1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot and cook bacon until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute the onion over medium heat until it becomes translucent and begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
2. Add half the greens. This will fill the pot, but as you cook, stirring frequently, the leaves will wilt and shrink. When there is enough room, add the remaining greens and the vegetable stock. Add in lentils and kumquats. Stir to mix evenly.
3. Cover the pot and cook until the greens are well stewed and deeply fragrant, about 45 minute.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Taste and add a little more vinegar if necessary. Serve immediately.
So onto the fish market in the Marina - safe, clean, reliable. I picked out a cod and Derek chose some other large whitefish that was a bit more expensive.
Given that we have an abundance of potatoes (thanks to our bi-weekly fruit/vegetable shipment) I thought of making a potato crust for the fish - I think that Mom or Dad had done this before for some sort of meat, if not, I have no idea where the thought came from.
To go with the fish, we wanted to use some of the winter greens that we had laying around - and then thought of having lentils too as something more substantial.
When we put all of the pieces together, here is what we came up with:
Potato-Crusted Fish
1 Medium Yukon Gold Potato, peeled and thinly sliced (ideally using a mandoline, we only had a peeler)
Brush/Spray potato slices with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Season fish with a bit of salt and pepper and rub with a bit of EVOO.
Layer potato slices over one side of the fish.
Heat oil and butter in a pan and place the fish potato-side down into the hot pan (make sure there is a good amount of fat at the bottom so the potatoes don't stick). Cook until the potatoes turn brown and crispy. Flip the fish over and finish cooking on the opposite side (cooking time depends on the fish).
Derek made a Mustard Burre Blanc to go on top of the fish:
Apple cider vinegar
Red onion
white pepper
Lemon, juiced
Butter, diced
Mustard
Here's the basic recipe that he based his sauce on:
In a shallow pan, add the wine, vinegar, shallots, peppercorns and lemon juice. Reduce liquid by 2/3. Slowly whisk the cubes of butter one at a time into reduced wine mixture to create an emulsion. After all the butter is incorporated into sauce, whisk in the Anna Mae’s Smoky Mustard. Strain sauce through sieve and keep warm on stove.
Additionally, we made a Braised Lentils and Greens:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1.5 slices bacon, cut in thin strips
3/4 pound collard greens and swiss chard
1 cup vegetable stock (or more, make sure lentils are covered)
3/4 cup green lentils
4 kumquats
Salt and pepper
Apple Cider vinegar
1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot and cook bacon until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and saute the onion over medium heat until it becomes translucent and begins to soften, about 3 minutes.
2. Add half the greens. This will fill the pot, but as you cook, stirring frequently, the leaves will wilt and shrink. When there is enough room, add the remaining greens and the vegetable stock. Add in lentils and kumquats. Stir to mix evenly.
3. Cover the pot and cook until the greens are well stewed and deeply fragrant, about 45 minute.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Taste and add a little more vinegar if necessary. Serve immediately.
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