Arctic Char w/ Roasted Apple Warm Wheat Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients
Warm Wheat Salad
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 3 bay leaves, dried or fresh
- salt for seasoning
- pepper for seasoning
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp cooked & chopped pancetta (drained of fat)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Melted Leeks
- ½ stalk leek, cleaned, halved & thinly-sliced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt for seasoning
- pepper for seasoning
Roasted Apples
- 1 apple (sweet, crisp varietal such as Gala or Fuji) cut into 8-10 wedges
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt for seasoning
- pepper for seasoning
Fish
- 2 Arctic char fillets, 6-8 oz each (can substitute salmon)
- salt for seasoning
- pepper for seasoning
- olive oil to coat pan
How-to
Cook Bulgur Wheat
- Bring vegetable stock to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan
- Pour stock over dry wheat and bay leaves, placed in a heat-resistant bowl
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes
Melt Leeks
- Heat butter and oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks, and season with salt
- Reduce heat to low, and cook 15-20 minutes until soft and “melted” but should not take on color
Roast Apples
- Preheat oven to 400º
- Place an empty cookie sheet in the oven and let sit and heat for 15 minutes
- While cookie sheet is warming up, combine apple wedges, olive oil, tarragon, salt & pepper in a bowl
- Place apple wedges on cookie sheet and cook 7-9 minutes until roasted, flipping once halfway through the cook time- the apples should not be mushy. Set aside
Cook Fish
- Score fish on skin-side. Heat enough olive oil over high in a skillet until lightly-smoking
- Place fish fillets, skin-side down on the hot skillet and reduce heat to medium. Cook fish until edges are golden brown (about 5 minutes). Do not flip the fish yet!
- Once edges are brown, flip the fish, and remove pan from stove-top to let fish rest in pan for 3 minutes
Assemble & Serve
- Lightly fluff the wheat with a fork, and fold in the apples, herbs, lemon zest, olive oil and pancetta. Place the warm wheat on a plate and top with fish
- Suggest topping with crispy fried leek strings and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for sheen (optional)