Marti’s Daily Dish – Holiday Recipe
This holiday you and your guests might like a break from turkey or ham. Try this Tasty Fish Dish from Cook Extraordinaire Marti! Holiday Cheers from Shira Bliss, LJWT.
Flounder alla Puttanesca with Yukon Gold Fried Potatoes
When I cook, which is frequently, I always use whatever ingredients I have on hand. The word puttanesca in Italian means “in the way of the whore,” the idea being that, after one has been lying around in bed all day, she doesn’t have time to go to market. Most Italian kitchens in Southern Italy always contain anchovies, tomatoes, chilies, garlic and olives. I have created a variation of this recipe, usually made with pasta, for fish. This recipe is good with garlic as well but I refrained from using it with the Fluke because I did not want to overwhelm the flavor and texture of the fish.
The Fish
1 pound Fluke (aka Summer Flounder) or other light-textured, flaky white fish such as sole
White Wine, e.g., Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
We Olive Sevillano Olive Oil
We Olive Tuscan Blend Olives
Campari Tomatoes
Sweet Yellow and Red Banana Peppers, minced
Cayenne Pepper
Bread Crumbs
Fresh Italian Parsley
Sea Salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with the olive oil. Rinse the fish in cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Put the fish in the baking dish and coat lightly with olive oil. Add a little white wine, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the top of the fish fillets with bread crumbs. Dust lightly with the sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Lightly dust the top with Cayenne Pepper. Chop the olives (they do contain pits, so carefully remove the flesh from the pits using a sharp paring knife), tomatoes, banana peppers, and parsley separately and layer on the fish. Put the baking dish in the oven for approximately 20 minutes and cook until moist and flakey but not dry. Be careful not to overcook it.
The Potatoes
4 small Yukon Gold Potatoes
We Olive Sevillano Olive Oil
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Parsley
Sea Salt
An iron skillet works best for frying potatoes because it retains and distributes heat well allowing the potatoes to brown nicely. Thinly slice the potatoes. Heat the skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot add the potatoes, sprinkle with one tablespoon of freshly chopped rosemary. Turn the potatoes frequently with a wooden spatula so that they brown on both sides. Add some sea salt. When the potatoes are brown and translucent, remove them from the heat, sprinkle them with the freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Buon Appetito!
Enjoy with a nice Pinot Grigio
