Equipment
Ingredients
Fish
- 4 arctic char or mild fish fillets
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g salt, to taste
- 2 g black pepper, to taste
Creamed Kale
- 680 g kale
- 45 g butter
- 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 6 thyme, sprigs
- 3 garlic, minced
- 240 ml heavy cream
- 8 g dijon mustard
- 5 ml chicken or vegetable stock concentrate
Serving
- rice, warmed
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season the skin side with salt and place on a plate. Refrigerate uncovered to dry the skin.
Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Remove kale leaves from stems and wash them thoroughly.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, thyme, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 7 minutes until softened.
Add heavy cream to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the liquid for 5 minutes until thickened. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing the solids to extract liquid, then return the liquid to the pan.
Whisk the Dijon mustard and stock concentrate into the cream sauce. Season to taste and cover to keep warm.
Blanch the kale in the boiling water for 2 minutes until wilted. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and squeeze out all excess moisture. Stir the kale into the cream sauce and warm over low heat.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish flesh with salt and pepper. Place fish skin-side down and cook for 4 minutes until the skin is crisp. Flip and cook for 3 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 63°C/145°F.
Plate the fish immediately with the warm rice and creamed kale.
Chef's Notes
- Drying the fish skin uncovered in the refrigerator is the key to restaurant-quality crispness.
- For the best results, use a high-quality stock concentrate like Better Than Bouillon.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Fish texture is best when eaten immediately.
Reheating: Gently warm the kale and sauce on the stovetop; sear fish briefly in a pan to recrisp skin.
