This dish sings the beginning of summer! The sweet juice of fresh ruby grapefruit, pineapple and navel orange dance a summer sonnet with fennel and habanera chili making for the perfect combination of sweet and sassy!
This is a fun dish to prepare with family or friends
Mid Week…if salsa is made the day before
Skill Set: Enthusiast & Expert…be patient with the chopping, it is worth the beauty and taste!
Product Availability…Atlantic Cod is available most of the year except winter.
Prep Time: 30 – 40 minutes
Cook Time: 5 – 8 minutes
Appetizer Servings: 4
Entrée Servings: 2
Salsa
Use all fresh ingredients if possible
| honeydew melon | 12 thin slices 2″ in length |
| fresh pineapple | 1 cup, diced |
| mango | julienned |
| ruby grapefruit | 1 whole sectioned, no pith *see tips (reserve juice) |
| navel orange | 4 pieces, slice whole, no pith *see tips |
| Roma tomato | 1 diced |
| Habanero chili pepper | 1 teaspoon, no seeds |
| chives | 2 tablespoons, minced |
| lemon and lime | zest of each |
| sweet yellow pepper | 2 tablespoons, minced |
| sweet red pepper | 2 tablespoons, minced |
| fennel | 2 tablespoons, minced (celery can be substituted) |
| shallot | 1-2 tablespoons, diced |
| olive oil | 1 teaspoon |
| sea salt | 1/4 teaspoon |
| sherry vinegar | 1 teaspoon |
| Greens | |
| 6 full leaves (remove outer leaves if bruised) | |
| butter lettuce | 6 large leaves |
| fresh basil | 1 teaspoon |
| apple cider vinegar | 1 tablespoon |
| sea salt | to taste |
| olive oil | 1 teaspoon |
| lemon | juice of 1 lemon |
| Fish | |
| Atlantic cod | 1 lb. cut in 5″ pieces (true cod, scrod or haddock may be substituted and more economical) |
| shallots | 2 tablespoons minced, (about 1 bulb) |
| leeks | 2 tablespoons, minced (about 1/2 of white portion) |
| extra virgin olive oil | 1 tablespoon for sauté |
| butter | 2 teaspoons |
| toasted almonds | 2 tablespoons |
| dry white wine | 1 oz (a hearty splash!) |
| balsamic vinegar | 1 tablespoon |
| lemon juice | 1 tablespoon |
| grapefruit juice | reserved from grapefruit |
Preparation Salsa
Combine all ingredients, except honeydew melon and oranges. Toss gently. Set aside to rest. Do not refrigerate
Greens
In a bowl, combine salt, vinegar. Tear butter lettuce into small pieces and cut basil in narrow strips. Place on top of vinegar mixture and squeeze with lemon; this will keep basil from turning colors. Set aside.
Fish
Cut fish into 5″ pieces. If small pieces are left, place each small piece together slightly overlapping.
Let’s Cook – Fish
Heat pan on medium with olive oil just to coat bottom. Add leeks and shallots; sauté until translucent, about 1 minute. Push leeks to one side, but keep in pan. Add butter, let melt. Place fish top side down in pan and turn heat up to medium high for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and flip fish; cook 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add white wine; return to heat immediately. Continue cooking for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium, cover pan with lid askew, and cook 2-4 minutes, or to your preference.
Meanwhile
Add olive oil to salad and toss. Place on one side of plate in a small mound. Place 1 slice of orange in the middle of each dish. Remove fish from pan and keep warm. Leave leek mixture in pan.
To Finish
Return pan to high heat and add almonds, balsamic and grapefruit juice. Turn heat up to med-high. Scrap pan and reduce until consistency of syrup, about 1 minute. Place fish on top of orange. Drizzle almond mixture on fish. Plate salsa on the side of fish. Fan melon slices between salsa and salad.
Tips:
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Salsa can be made the day before but is best made up to 4 hours ahead of time. Let sit at room temp for about 40 minutes – 1 hour.
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Salad can be torn, just handle it with care as leaves will bruise. Lemon juice will keep it looking fresh for 1-2 hours ahead of time. Keep refrigerated and then let stand at room temp for about 30 minutes before serving.
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Fish does not have to be piping hot. This dish is a variety of texture and temperatures so the palate is constantly entertained.
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Don’t worry about exact size of fish or salad. Prepare to fit in the pan or to your own taste.
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Sectioning fruit: Cut off short ends to create top and bottom. Starting with knife at top and angled away from your hands, follow the shape of the orange with your knife. Be sure to remove all the white (the pith). Over a bowl, remove each section of fruit by angling your knife towards the center of each section. Meat will fall out.
Suggestions:
- Salsa can be used the next day on salads. Just throw it in a blender or food processor and puree. Add more olive oil and your favorite vinegar to make a tangy salad dressing or “brush” for grilling.
- To create even greater ease, grill the fish. If fish is grilled, it is quite tasty the next day as a chill appetizer or served as a salad.