Arctic Char with Salsa Verde of Turnips

Info

Course:
Main Course
Total Time:
Under 2 Hours
Skill Level:
Challenging
Cost:
Moderate

Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 1, Elimination Challenge Winner

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 (5-ounce portions) Arctic Char filets

Fennel pollen
1 quart cider vinegar
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 whole star anise
1 whole cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 medium purple top turnip, brunoised
1 shallot, brunoised
1 fennel bulb, brunoised
1/2 English cucumber, brunoised
5 celery stalks, brunoised

Extra virgin olive oil (approx. 2-3 cups total)
5 sprigs thyme
1 head garlic, smashed cloves

1 pound unsalted butter
1 English cucumber, juiced
1 head romaine lettuce, need only inner leaves

2 bunches fresh parsley, picked and washed
5 sprigs fresh tarragon, picked and washed
1/2 pound fresh basil, picked and washed
1 bunch fresh chives
Canola oil
Pure orange oil
Salt

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, and peppercorns to a rolling boil. Shut off and allow to sit off the heat for 15 minutes.

2. Place 1/2 liter of olive oil in oven-safe baking dish. Add thyme sprigs and smashed garlic cloves. Place in 180-degree F oven for 45 minutes. Strain through colander into another vessel to remove sediment and then return oil to same baking dish. Leave off heat.

3. Pour vinegar mixture over turnips and shallots. Allow to cool to room temperature.

4. In another small saucepan, add 1/4 cup water. When hot, mount butter making sure to fully emulsify. Mix in cucumber juice to beurre fondue (butter-water emulsion). Add romaine inner leaves and cook off heat until softened. Drain, season, reserve.

5. Blanch, shock, and drain all remaining herbs. Add into blender carafe with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup canola oil. Blend until extremely smooth. Add in two small drips of orange oil and blend to mix. Season with salt and sugar. Press through chinois and reserve.

6. Season fish filets with salt and fennel pollen and place into thyme-garlic infused oil in baking dish that has been sitting off the heat. Baste continuously for 5 minutes. Re-baste a few times every 3 minutes until lightly cooked medium rare (approximately 20-25 minutes).

7. Stir in fennel and cucumber to pickled turnip-shallot mixture. Drain away all marinade.

8. Heat sauté pan until smoking. Add small splash of canola oil and caramelize celery until it has color with crisp texture remaining. Add to other vegetables to create salsa verde.

9. Add enough herb puree to salsa verde to dress. Re-season with salt and sugar.

To Serve

1. Streak some herb puree on plate.

2. Remove fish from oil and blot on paper towels. Re-season if necessary.

3. Place fish on herb puree and top with salsa verde.

4. Microplane a small piece of cucumber over lettuce. Toss and set next to fish on plate.

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