Crispy Skin Arctic Char With Butter Braised Cabbage Recipes

BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the cumin, caraway and coriander seeds and toast them slightly for 30 seconds. Do not let them brown.
• Immediately add half of the cabbage and season with the salt. Toss and stir to wilt and to combine with the spices. Add the remaining cabbage and if necessary, reseason with salt and allow it to continue wilting. Stir in the poblano, toss and cook over medium heat, stirring from time to time, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Stir in the vinegar and orange juice and toss to blend. Taste for seasoning.
• Lower the heat and add the cilantro. Stir to combine and remove the pan from the heat. Arrange it on a serving platter and serve.

CRISPY SKIN ARCTIC CHAR WITH BUTTER-BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• For the butter-braised cabbage:
• Cook the bacon in a large high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until crisp, about 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the butter to same pan, followed by the onions. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, vinegar and cabbage. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
• Remove the lid from the cabbage and continue cooking until all the liquid has evaporated. Stir the crisped bacon into the cabbage and season with salt and pepper.
• For the arctic char:
• The secret to crispy skin is lack of moisture. Leave your fish uncovered in the fridge 10 to 15 minutes to dry out. Then dry the fish with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, place the fillets skin-side down in the pan, cooking in batches if needed. Using the back of a spatula, press down hard on the fillets for at least 20 seconds to ensure that the entire skin has full contact with the bottom of the pan. This will help to achieve the crispiest skin possible.
• Continue cooking until the flesh cooks and there is only a bit of pink left, 5 to 6 minutes. The skin should be pulling away from the bottom of the pan. If necessary, use a spatula to loosen the skin before flipping. Flip the fish and continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute before transferring to a plate to rest.
• Gently remove the fish skin with a paring knife and place the skin back into the pan, flesh-side down. Fry another 1 to 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Transfer to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate, at which point it will harden like a super-crispy fish chip.
• Serve the crisp arctic char over the butter-braised cabbage and top with the crispy fish skin.
• Cook's Note:
• Removing your fried fish skin to a wire rack will help it harden by letting the air circulate around it.

ARCTIC CHAR IN A BROTH WITH CABBAGE AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Clean the head of the cabbage by removing all the leaves and the hard stems on it. Blanch quickly in boiling water and refresh it in cold water. Clean the wild mushrooms. In a medium pot over low heat sweat the bacon and add the cabbage mix everything together until the cabbage gets very soft add the mushrooms sweat some more the add the chicken broth. Let simmer slowly until the cabbage is very soft. Add a little bit of butter and finish cooking everything. In a saute pan over high heat add oil, sear the char skin side down only. Cook the char until, medium rare .
• Finish the cabbage with a little drop of balsamic vinegar. Place the cabbage on a platter and serve the char on top .
• Serve very hot.

ARCTIC CHAR IN A BROTH WITH CABBAGE AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Clean the head of the cabbage by removing all the leaves and the hard stems on it. Blanch quickly in boiling water and refresh it in cold water. Clean the wild mushrooms. In a medium pot over low heat sweat the bacon and add the cabbage mix everything together until the cabbage gets very soft add the mushrooms sweat some more the add the chicken broth. Let simmer slowly until the cabbage is very soft. Add a little bit of butter and finish cooking everything. In a saute pan over high heat add oil, sear the char skin side down only. Cook the char until, medium rare .
• Finish the cabbage with a little drop of balsamic vinegar. Place the cabbage on a platter and serve the char on top .
• Serve very hot.

HOT SMOKED ARCTIC CHAR FROM NUNAVUT

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS FOR IN HOUSE:.
• Sprinkle top of char with salt and pepper; cover with lemon slices. Place, skin side down, on wire rack of smoker.
• Place 2 tbsp (25 mL) maple wood shavings in small pile in centre of smoker base. Place foil-covered drip tray on top of wood chips inside smoker base. Place wire rack with fish on top of drip tray. Place smoker over medium heat; when first wisp of smoke appears, close lid and start cooking time, about 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.) Serve with lemon wedges.
• VARIATION:.
• Barbecued Hot Smoked Arctic Char: Soak 7 cups (1.75 L) maple wood chips in water for 30 minutes; drain and place 4 cups ( 1 L) in foil pan. Set remaining chips aside. Remove 1 grill rack; place foil pan with wood chips on coals. Place foil drip pan on opposite side. Heat all burners of barbecue on high heat until chips smoke vigorously, about 20 minutes.
• Turn off burner under drip pan. Reduce heat of remaining burner to medium-low. Place fish on greased grill over unlit burner. Close lid, leaving fork stuck between lid and grate to help keep heat constant at 225°F (107°C). Smoke until char is moist and not completely dried out, about 2 hours, adding remaining wood chips as necessary.

BUTTERED-BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-low heat until mostly melted. Add cabbage. Place remaining 1 tablespoon butter on top of the cabbage. Cover and cook until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir cabbage to coat evenly with butter. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, about 3 minutes. Season with black pepper.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH PEARS

Steps:

• Toss the pears with the orange juice in a large nonreactive bowl and set aside. Heat the oil and saute the shallots over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until softened and slightly carmelized. Drain the pear slices and gently toss with the Grand Marnier, chives, ginger, and salt and pepper to taste. Fan out attractively on a serving platter, and top with the shallots.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Combine the panko with the curry powder. Dip the arctic char into the flour, shake to remove any excess, and place the fillets into a baking dish. Pat the panko onto their surfaces, and drizzle with the melted butter. Pour 2 Tablespoons of water around the fillets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the char is cooked through and the bread crumbs are browned.
• Arrange the char over the pears, so that the pear design is visible. Sprinkle with the walnuts, if desired.