Laura Leyshon
School is out and flags are waving for Canada Day. It's time to get down to some food and fun.
I have forever loved the summer, for many reasons. One of the first that springs to mind is days without classes. It's not that I didn't like school - I just liked being outdoors better. Then comes early mornings, late sunsets and, of course, vacations. Lastly is the food: I loved what my mom used to whip up - always simple and always fresh.
Not much has changed in that regard. Today I cook the same way at home, from the local green beans that are out now (simply blanch then season with olive oil and a little lemon juice and salt and pepper) to in-season strawberries that are over the top simply on their own.
I know we think summer means barbecue - steaks, chicken, burgers, sausages, and so many other great things (shoot, I am getting hungry just writing this list). But this Canada Day, I encourage you to step away from the grill. I've got a restaurant-quality dish that will make you seem like a master chef.
Sablefish is one of the best fish this country has to offer, and yet it's underutilized. Marinated in soy and sake, then baked, the taste and texture will leave you wanting more. If you love Japanese food the way I do, you'll love this dish. And the best part: It takes little time to prepare.
What makes it so great is that sablefish is naturally oily, so it bakes very well. Make sure you marinate it long enough (at least 24 hours), otherwise it will not caramelize the way it should. I suggest serving it with a simple asparagus salad, but you could opt for green beans, too. As a special touch, the tomato-caper sauce adds a hint of acidity and sweetness to this fun meal.
Baked marinated sake and soy sablefish, asparagus and soybean salad and tomato-caper jam
Ingredients
For the sablefish:
¾ cup Japanese soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
¼ teaspoon grated ginger
¼ teaspoon grated garlic
4 6-ounce pieces sablefish
For the salad:
1 bunch asparagus, blanched
1 orange, segmented, pieces and juice reserved
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup soybeans
Salt and pepper to taste
For the jam:
I cup peeled, seeded and diced tomato
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon rinsed capers
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Combine the marinade ingredients in a zip-lock bag, seal and shake. Add the sablefish, making sure it is well-coated. Then reseal and marinate it for 24 hours in the fridge.
Preheat an oven to 425 F. Remove the sablefish from the marinade and place it on a non-stick baking sheet, leaving space between each piece. Bake the fish for 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the asparagus spears in half. Mix the orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the asparagus, scallions, soybeans and orange pieces to the bowl and toss. Keep the salad in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.
For the jam, combine all of the ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat until all of the liquid has evaporated and the mix has thickened - about 5 minutes. Keep the jam warm.
Plate the sablefish and spoon some jam over top. Pile some salad beside each piece of fish. Serve and enjoy - Happy Canada Day!
Serves 4.
Rob Feenie is the food concept architect for Cactus Restaurants in Western Canada. He has also published three cookbooks.