Interesting combinations continue to Rouse Thirst
Sometimes I just want to wear white pants after labor day, and damn those who judge! With that attitude I boldly made some pan seared herbed skate fish last week that I served on a bed of simmered French lentils with a bottle of Le Grand Bouqueteau Cabernet Franc—and if this is wrong, I don’t care to be right!
This was a quick, pull it together kind of meal with a piece of fish that I did not expect. You know those nights when you are hungry and you haven’t made a plan, so you just open the fridge and peak in. “Hmmm, what do I have to work with?” This is, as you may know, my favorite way to cook. Mr Frenchie style, flying by the seat of my pants (perhaps white!). On this particular occasion, my refrigerator was pretty bare, it held only some lettuce, a bag of brussels, and a few carrots, which lead me then to the pantry. Opening up the cupboard, I was pleased to find that my pantry had a box of those fabulous tiny French lentils, dried mushrooms, and some new herbs from Daphnie & Chloe that I had recently brought home from the shop. Boom, dinner emerged!
I added the lentils to some softened onion and carrots, covered with water and a tablespoon of dried mushroom dust, added a bay leaf to help with digestion and add aromatics, and left it to simmer while I made the fish. Lentils are easy to make and so satisfying and healthy. I grind up the dried mushrooms in a blender to a dust, which I use on everything from soups to roasted chicken to tossed pasta with butter. It is a great resource to have on hand when you like to cook the way I do. It can add flavor, make a quick stock, or be the main flavor, as with the pasta.
For the fish, I did a quick marinade of Spanish olive oil that is bright, fruity, and fresh with a little peppery bite on the finish, lemon juice, and Daphne & Chloe’s dried thyme flowers and leaves. It is winter, so fresh herbs might be scarce in your house, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the flavor of herbs in your meals. These dried herbs from Greece are beautiful to the eye, aromatic on the nose, and add a depth of freshness and flavor to the dish. Daphnie and Chloe source their herbs from areas of Greece where they grow best, all organically grown and hand harvested from small farms on the remote islands and high mountains of Greece. Seriously, when you open these charming jars and smell the herbs as their aromatics are released, you feel a lightness and the warmth of the Greek sun.
A hot pan and some olive oil is all you need to cook this fish, a few minutes on each side, then finished in the 375 degree oven for 5 minutes more. It is beautifully browned on the outside, and with a rich and dense textured flesh, it has just what it needs to stand up to a more intense red like the Bouqouteau. The lentils add a richness and flavor pop, too! A scoop of lentils, some roasted Brussel Sprouts that I through into the hot over while the fish cooked, and a beautiful piece of fresh skate, drizzle a bit more olive oil on the top, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice, a pinch a of salt & a crack of pepper—voila! This skate was locally sourced by Fearless Fish Market in Providence, who does a weekly subscription program that I highly recommend. It is always a surprise, so it will make you feel like your on a reality cooking show, tested to create dinner with an unknown ingredient. Have fun & keep cooking!
Cheers, Maria
