We’ve just returned to New York from a delightful family wedding in Marfa, Texas. (Julia turned in a fine first performance as a flower girl as her uncle married a native daughter of that magically beautiful part of West Texas.) A recipe with a Southwestern flavor, therefore, seems in order.
This is a quick and easy dish, but an outrageously delicious and elegant one. It’s also a little on the rich side, so it’s something you’ll probably want to save for a special occasion, or an evening when you want to create one. The lean fish balances the rich sauce, though, and if you keep the side dishes lean and simple, start with a green salad and end with, say, a fruit dessert, you’ll avoid overwhelming your guests with luxury.
Recipe
(Inspired by Pescado con Rajas y Crema from Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless. Serves four.)
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds (680g) boneless halibut fillets (or another firm white fish such as bass or red snapper)
1 lime
2 fresh Poblano chiles
1/2 large onion (or 1 small onion), sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups (350ml) heavy cream
About 1/3 cup (80ml) flour, for dredging
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 or three scallions (green part only) for garnish
kosher salt
Instructions
1. Squeeze the lime over the fish and sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate for about an hour before cooking.
2. Roast the peppers. If I’m using just one or two peppers, I think it’s faster to roast them directly on the stove rather than taking the time to heat up the broiler. If I’m roasting more, I usually place them on a baking sheet and roast them under a very hot broiler. (Of course, this is also the way to go if you don’t have a gas range.) Either way, turn them as the skin chars. They’re done when they’re almost completely blackened and their flesh is tender (and a mouthwatering aroma fills the kitchen).
3. When the chiles are cool enough to handle, remove their charred skins with a paper towel. They should wipe off easily.
4. Remove the stems, ribs and seeds, and cut your naked chiles into thin strips. (Don’t worry if a few stray bits of charred skin remain.)
5. About 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to serve, warm about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for about a minute. Add the onions and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and chiles and saute for about 2 more minutes. Then add the cream.
7. Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon rather thickly and the sharpness of the chile flavor mellows, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt.
8. Put the flour and about 1 teaspoon of salt on a plate and stir to combine. Dredge each fillet in the flour, shaking off the excess before transferring to another plate.
9. In another skillet, warm about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter over medium-high heat for minute. Add the fish fillets and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
10. Gently remove the browned fillets from the skillet and place them in the skillet containing the sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat until the fish is just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
Serve immediately, spooning the sauce over each fillet and garnishing with chopped scallion tops.
Because the sauce is rich and complex, I like to keep the side dishes clean, lean and simple. My current favorite pairing is plain wild rice, but boiled potatoes or brown basmati rice would also be nice. A watercress salad would be an even lighter accompaniment — excellent for an special lunch.
