food to glow

Hake – a member of the cod family – is currently one of the most widely available sustainable fish so I use it in preference to pricier but “posher” sea bass and bream. But use any white firm fish that you wish. Coley is another good and inexpensive option. You may wish to check the current list of sustainable fish available to you in your country as it changes quite a bit. Your fishmonger will also be able to guide you.

The key to getting a crispy skin is drying the skin and slashing it with a sharp knife, cooking the fish skin-side down for most of the cooking time then briefly on the flesh side. 

note: Although I independently developed this recipe, I note that there is one similar on bbcgoodfood. xx

2 white fish fillets, skin on and pin-boned

1 blood orange OR an orange or small pink/ruby grapefruit

150g or one box of kalettes, ends trimmed and any larger flowers halved through the stem end

2 tbsp light olive oil or rapeseed oil, for pan-frying

1 tbsp capers, rinsed and patted dry

1 rounded tsp rosemary leaves, minced

1 tbsp blood orange olive oil (I use one from Greybe Fine Olive Products) or best extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Dry the fish and slash the skin several times with a very sharp knife. Set aside.

Section the orange by peeling the skin and taking a knife and cutting out the individual sections. To make as pith and membrane-less orange supremes, see this video.

For the kalettes, boil water and add the kalettes, cooking for 45 seconds. Drain the kalettes and add to a hot saute pan where the water will continue to evaporate; let the kale colour in places, then add the orange segments and season with a little salt and pepper. Divide between two plates and drizzle over the blood orange olive oil or best extra virgin olive oil. Keep warm.

Dry out the saute pan and add a little oil to heat over a high heat. Season the fish fillets and add to the pan, skin-side down. Press down each fillet with a spatula. Turn the heat down to medium flame and continue cooking for 3 minutes, depending on fish thickness. The fish should be pearly white and cooked about most of the way through, and the skin beautifully crisp. Turn carefully and cook 1 & 1/2 to 2 more minutes. After you flip the fish add the capers and rosemary, turning in the oil to crackle and cook. It should be lovely and fragrant of rosemary.

Serve the fish over the kalette and orange, finishing with any pan juices and all of the rosemary and capers. Add a little more blood orange oil if you wish.

Soft food diet: boil the kalettes until very soft and chop finely; puree the orange and use as a sauce with the oil