Leeks and fish get a lift from a tangy salsa verde
I never appreciated leeks as a vegetable — as opposed to an aromatic — until I ate them with vinaigrette in Paris during my college year abroad.
At a tiny cafe that was halfway between my studio apartment near Porte Saint-martin and my best friend’s seventh-floor walk-up near the Seine, the two of us spent our evenings drinking carafes of red wine and working our way through the very classic menu: cheesy croquemadames, herby escargots, oeufs mayonnaise.
The leeks vinaigrette was the biggest surprise. The gentle leeks looked plain on the plate — pale, monochrome, unadorned by any herbs or garnishes — but they hit us right between the eyes. They were coated in a vinaigrette with so much spicy Dijon it made our sinuses burn; we couldn’t get enough. So we added even more from the mustard pot on the table, then wiped up the oily slicks with torn bits of baguette. It gave us fortitude for the long walk home through the cold Paris night.
Back in New York, I tried to make leeks vinaigrette with as much sharpness and vim, but it was hard to match the flavor. The mustard I could get didn’t have the same piercing bite.
Instead, to mimic that play of pungent and mild, I began pairing silky leeks with other zippy condiments and sauces. Salsa verde, with its mix of citrus, minced herbs and plenty of raw garlic, was a perfect partner, balancing the sweetness of the leeks with a bracing tanginess. Leeks salsa verde became a staple in my kitchen, a lively alternative to leeks vinaigrette.
In this more substantial variation, the leeks and salsa verde are rounded
out with quick-cooking fish fillets.
I particularly like the mellowness of white fillets like cod, halibut or hake here, but salmon or tuna would also work.
Roasted Fish With Leeks and Olive Salsa Verde
By Melissa Clark. Yield: 4 servings. Total time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
FOR THE FISH AND LEEKS:
4 thick fillets white fish, such as cod or halibut (about 1K pounds total)
Salt and freshly ground black
pepper
3 medium leeks, trimmed, white and light green parts halved lengthwise and rinsed well
Extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE OLIVE SALSA
VERDE:
1 lemon
K cup coarsely chopped pitted
Castelvetrano olives
K cup chopped cilantro leaves
and tender stems
1 garlic clove, finely grated, minced or pushed through a garlic press
Large pinch of red- pepper
flakes, or to taste
Fine sea or table salt
L cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Season fish all over with salt and pepper, and set aside while you prepare the leeks.
Cut the leeks into matchsticks: Place a leek half, flat side down, on a cutting board and cut it in half crosswise. Then slice the pieces lengthwise into thin ( N- inchthick) matchsticks. Repeat with remaining leeks.
Spread leeks out on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly drizzle them with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Push aside the leeks to create 4 spaces in the center of the sheet pan just large enough for the fish fillets, then place the fillets in those cleared spaces. (Avoid putting the fish on top of the leeks, which won’t cook as well if they’re covered.)
Drizzle fish with oil. Roast until the fish is opaque and just cooked through but not yet flaky, about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish. The leeks surrounding the fish will be soft and silky, while those at the edges of the pan may turn delightfully brown and crisp in spots. If the fish is done but you think the leeks need a little more time, transfer the fish to a serving platter, tent with foil to keep warm, and continue to cook the leeks for another few minutes.
While the fish is in the oven, make the salsa verde: Using a fine rasp grater, grate K teaspoon lemon zest into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze in 1 tablespoon juice.
Stir in olives, cilantro, garlic, red- pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Slowly drizzle in oil, stirring to combine. Taste and add more salt, red- pepper flakes or another squeeze of lemon, if needed.
Place fish on plates and surround with leeks. Top with olive salsa verde.