Olive Oil Poached Fish and Scallops
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 min
Total Cook Time: 15 min
When we ate at Craft in NYC a few weeks ago, we all were totally wowed by the olive oil poached cod…it was incredibly moist and succlent. I wondered if it would be possible to replicate that same flavor and consistency in the SDC test kitchen. The answer is a resounding “yes”. Here’s what you’ll need:
1 lb haddock fillet * – cut into 1 inch pieces
4-6 large scallops *
* I wanted to use to halibut but I guess it’s not in season and the cod didn’t look so great. The haddock was supposedly fresh and on sale, so I chose that. The scallops are totally optional but they were also on sale and I thought they’d make a tasty addition
1/4 tsp salt plus additional for seasoning the fish
1/4 tsp white pepper plus additional for seasoning the fish
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh mint – finely chopped
2 garlic cloves – very finely chopped (or, use a garlic press if you have one)
fresh lemon juice (to taste)
Season the fish pieces with salt and pepper. For your cooking device, you’ll want to use a pan or skillet that is just large enough to hold the fish pieces/scallops in a single layer. Heat the olive oil over low heat. Once the oil comes up to temperature (about 5 min), add the fish and half of the mint and let cook for about 4 min.
Next, stir in the chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and cook for another 4 min or so. Stir gently so that you don’t break apart the fish pieces. Keep the heat on low for the duration of the cooking process…you don’t want to brown the fish or garlic, you just want to slow-cook everything. The fish will begin to firm up a bit and turn opaque as it cooks. Your total cooking time may vary…I think my stovetop’s low setting is lower than it should be, which I factored into my cooking time. If the fish flakes really easily, that’s a good sign that it is done cooking. Tasting it is a good idea too, that way you can tell if any additional salt and/or pepper is needed.
Right before serving the fish, stir in fresh lemon juice (I used the juice from half of a lemon) and the rest of the mint. You can use a slotted spoon to remove the fish from the pan while keeping the oil behind. I did that and drizzed the oil over some roasted potatoes and asparagus that I had in the oven while the fish was cooking.
