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Baked Halibut & Ratatouille with a Tomato Herb Remoulade

This is a wonderful one-skillet recipe for a saucy summer dinner – served with rice or simple pasta and icy cold white wine! A delicious explosion of summer flavors and ingredients. We made a fresh (non-mayo) cherry tomato and herb remoulade to spoon over. Choose a nice size skillet that will fit both the ratatouille medley and a large fillet of Halibut or other white fish. Also a great recipe with Salmon!

The Ratatouille and fish layer:
3-4 small yukon potatoes, peeled & medium diced
1 large red or orange bell pepper, large dice
1-2 medium size zucchini, cut into half or quarter moons
1 red onion, large dice
3 cloves garlic, fine mince 
1/2 cup or more of minced herb medley: oregano, thyme, tarragon, sage, basil, parsley – any and all herbs!
1/4 cup Olive oil, plus a couple tablespoons
Salt & Pepper
*Halibut or other firm white fish – 1-2 pound fillet. Depending on family size.

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375

2.) Wash and peel potatoes, medium square dice. In a bowl, drizzle potatoes with 1/4 cup of olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, a couple tablespoons of the minced herb medley and some of the minced garlic. Toss well and place into greased skillet, begin to bake potatoes for about 5-10 minutes on 375. Watch not to burn them, the potatoes just need a little head start before adding in the rest of ratatouille ingredients.

3.) Take skillet out of oven and add in the diced bell pepper, zucchini and red onion. Plus the rest of the minced garlic and herb medley, an additional tablespoon or two of olive oil, more salt and pepper. Mix everything well with the potatoes already in skillet.

4.) Return skillet to oven and continue to bake for another 8-10 minutes.

5.) Assemble the tomato herb remoulade (see below), set aside.

6.) Take skillet out of oven (again.) Place cleaned and dried fish on top. Lightly oil the fish, top and bottom, and season with salt and pepper. Place entire fillet(s) on top of the baked ratatouille layer, place back into oven for about 5-7 minutes. 

7.) Take skillet out of oven (again!!) and spoon the fresh tomato herb remoulade (recipe below) along the top of fillet, letting any liquid run off into the ratatouille layer.  Place back into oven for another 5-8 minutes, until fish is opaque and done, then pop temperature to broil for another 2-3 minutes to get a nice browning of the remoulade topping. Check for doneness, serve at table with rice or pasta.

The Tomato Herb Remoulade:
One container each of red and orange cherry tomatoes (you may have some leftover) Cut and quarter the tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups or more), 1/2 cup of the minced herb medley, 1/2 cup of Due Cellucci Sauce (Tomato Basil or Arrabbiata), 2 garlic cloves minced, 1-2 shallots fine chop, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Mix well. 

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Thai Influenced Tomato-Basil-Coconut Salmon

Often baked or broiled, salmon can get a little been there-done that. Sometimes salmon needs just a little extra, a saucy swim in the deep end of a delicious red pool, a sun-kissed browning under a broiler sun. Sometimes salmon wants to let loose and get saucy!

Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 med/large yellow onion, finely diced (shallots are also great here too!)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
2 tbsp or more (a nob) of ginger, peeled, and minced or grated
1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream
1 jar Due Cellucci Tomato Basil Sauce
3-4 Salmon fillets (about 4-6 oz. each)
2 large handfuls of fresh basil leaves (save some for garnish)
Salt & pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes to taste
1-2 teaspoons of lime juice (save some wedges for garnish)

Preparation:
1. Sauté the diced onion in the coconut oil on a medium flame, to a soft translucent brown, about 5-8 minutes. Choose a large saucepan that can also transfer to the oven and fit all your fillets.

2. Add the minced garlic and ginger. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes. *Note: we also like to add a little more garlic and ginger toward the end, just before transferring to oven broil. Aromatics lend an additional impactful brightness at the end of a simmer.

3. Reduce flame to low, add the jar of Due Cellucci Tomato Basil Sauce, being careful that pan is not too hot or it will sizzle and splatter.

4. Add the entire can of coconut milk. Stir well and simmer the combined sauce for a while – about 5-10 minutes, on a low flame. You want to thicken the sauce a bit. Give a few squeezes of lime and a handful of torn basil leaves. Salt & pepper to taste and some red pepper flakes to taste. Stir.

5. Lightly salt & pepper your salmon fillets (no need to remove skin). Carefully slide fillets into the sauce and place a cover over the saucepan to steam fish a little on top while they gently simmer for 2-3 minutes. You can cook salmon to your desired doneness, baring in mind that you will be finishing this dish in the oven broiler, where it will continue to cook more. *Here is where we like to add in a few more gratings of garlic and ginger to the sauce and over the tops of the salmon fillets. With a fork, gently stir the fresh aromatics into the sauce around the salmon to incorporate.

6. In the meantime, turn oven on to broil. You can also spoon a little sauce onto the tops of the salmon fillets to get a little additional color under the broiler. Transfer entire saucepan to the oven. Move oven rack to farthest position from broiler flame. The freshly grated aromatics will toast under the broiler too. Watch carefully, you don’t want to burn the tops!

7. Serve over steamed rice or pasta. Garnish with leftover torn basil leaves and squeezes of lime.