SOLEMATE FOOD
Fish and potatoes have always been best spuddies
May I say there are few combinations better than fish and potatoes? I don’t think anyone could argue convincingly to the contrary.
Fish and chips are an obvious example of how good a pairing it is, and New England fish chowder would be decidedly one-dimensional without the world’s best-loved tuber in the picture.
This week I’m offering an easy, flavourful method for roasting any type of firm-fleshed fish fillet, in this case halibut, to served with roasted potatoes.
I tested the recipe with several types of fish. Cod fillets, though tasty, seemed too tender, and seemed to cry out for mashed potatoes and peas. Tilefish, grouper and monkfish, all firmer and meatier, were much better candidates. In the end, lean, sweet Pacific halibut was my preferred choice, but go with whatever looks best at the store.
The simple seasoning mimics one I often use for pork chops; it’s just salt and pepper, roughly chopped rosemary, garlic, crushed fennel seed and a drizzle of olive oil. (For that matter, it’s a seasoning mixture that makes nearly anything taste good.)
I’m a fan of any sort of roasted potato, and I love the addictive, golden “roasties” that accompany a Sunday dinner in Britain. They’re made with peeled parboiled potatoes, which are then roasted to crispness in hot fat. Though normally they accompany roast beef or lamb, they would be welcome with fish, too.
But I had beautiful mediumsize fingerling potatoes from the farmers market. Rather than peel them, I boiled them skin-on, split them lengthwise, coated them with olive oil and spread them cut side up in a shallow roasting pan in one layer. Into the oven they went.
A half-hour later, when the potatoes were nicely browned, I simply pushed them to the sides
of the pan to make room for the halibut fillets, which were ready in about 15 minutes and emerged wonderfully aromatic.
All that remained to do was to chop a little parsley, lemon zest and rosemary to scatter over everything, adding a bright green and subtly perfumed hit. Lemon wedges on the side gave diners the option of upping the citrus quotient.
This straightforward method produced a meal fit for company. Dinner that night, with no bells or whistles, was utterly delicious in its simplicity.
Roasted Halibut and Potatoes with Rosemary
Makes 4 servings
1 1⁄2 pounds fingerling potatoes Kosher salt Extra-virgin olive oil
4 (6- to 8-ounce) halibut fillets (or substitute other firm-fleshed white fish), about 1-inch thick
Black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon roughly chopped rosemary, plus 1⁄2 tsp finely chopped rosemary, for garnish Pinch of red-pepper flakes
1⁄2 tsp crushed fennel seeds (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1⁄2 tsp grated lemon zest Lemon wedges, for serving Total time: one hour
1. Heat oven to 400 F. Boil potatoes in well-salted water for 15 minutes, until tender. Rinse with cold water to cool, then cut each potato in half lengthwise.
2. Transfer potatoes to shallow roasting pan, or rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold potato halves in one layer.
3. Drizzle potatoes generously with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil. Using your hands, massage the potatoes to coat with oil and turn potatoes cut side up. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Roast potatoes, uncovered, until nicely browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. As potatoes cook, prepare the fish: season fish fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with garlic, rosemary, red-pepper flakes and crushed fennel seeds, if using. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then rub seasoning into fillets.
5. When potatoes are brown, use a spatula to push them to the sides of baking dish, leaving room in the centre for the fish. Lay fillets side by side in one layer. Roast fish until opaque and just cooked through, about 15 minutes. It should flake when pressed gently.
6. Transfer fish and potatoes to a warm platter or individual plates. In a small bowl, mix together parsley, lemon zest and finely chopped rosemary. Sprinkle parsley mixture over fish and potatoes. Serve with lemon wedges.