Gourmet (May 2008)
Our friend Whitney was in town staying with us last week, and she said what she really wanted to do was cook something with us for The Bitten Word. We were happy to oblige.
Whitney picked out this delectible fish from Gourmet (which we served with salad greens and Asiago Potatoes), and it turned out to be a huge hit.
The searing green heat of the horseradish crust gives the whitefish a delicious jolt. And the creamy remoulade seems to somehow both cool that heat and amplify the flavors. It really makes a great finishing touch for this dish!
This is pretty easy to prepare, too, since a lot of the work can be done ahead of time. We made the remoulade several hours ahead of time. Coating and cooking the fish itself doesn't take much time at all.
A couple notes: The crust might work a little better if you crushed the panko a little. Ours flaked off during the cooking more than we would have liked.
Also, for fear of overcooking the fish, we ended up with slightly undercooked filets. They tasted great, but the texture could have been better. You might want to keep that in mind, and keep the fish cooking in the oven a little longer than you might think you should.
Lastly, though the remoulade is wonderful, this recipe made at least three times the amount we needed. The recipe, like those Asiago Potatoes, happens to be from the magazine's "You Asked For It" column, where readers request recipes from their favorite restaurants. Perhaps it's just for a big batch?
Horseradish-Crusted Whitefish with Remoulade
Gourmet (May 2008)
For Remoulade:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grainy mustard
1/4 cup chopped scallion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons drained bottled horseradish
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco
For Whitefish:
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup panko
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons oliver oil (divided)
4 (8-oz) whitefish fillets (about 3/4 inch think), pin bones removed
Make Remoulade: Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until combined, then transfer to a bowl.
Make Fish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle. Stir together parsley, horseradish, mustard, garlic and zest. Gradually stir in panko, then drizzle with 1/3 cup olive oil and gently stir. Pat fish dry and arrange, skin side down, on a large platter. Brush flesh with 1 tablespoon oil, then season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently pat about 1/2 cup panko mixture evenly onto each fillet.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then saute fillets in 2 batches, crumb side down first, carefully turning once with a large spatula, until golden on both sides, about 6 minutes total per batch. Transfer to a large shallow baking pan (Fish will not be fully cooked.) Wipe skillet clean and add remaining tablespoon oil for second batch.
Bake fish in oven until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve with remoulade.
