Alaska Sablefish Cacciatore

Alaska Sablefish Cacciatore

Recipe provided by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute from Chris Cosentino

Serves 4

Chef’s Note: Cacciatore is something we had a lot when I was growing up. The translation is hunter’s sauce, and every family has their own version. Classically, my family would have made this with chicken thighs. This version with olives and fennel works very well with the richness of the Alaska sablefish. When you spoon the fish onto the polenta, the fish might fall apart but that’s all part of a perfectly cooked braised dish.

Ingredients:

• 4, 6 oz Alaska sablefish (black cod) fillets, skin off
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 2 tsp fennel fronds
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 c red onion, julienned
• 1 pinch crushed chili flakes
• 1 c red wine (if you would drink it, you can use it!)
• 28 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 c fish stock
• 1 c Castelvetrano olives, pitted
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp oregano, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp basil leaves, torn
• Flake salt, to taste
• Black pepper, ground coarse, to taste

Polenta

• 1 c polenta
• 5 c water
• 1 c milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Step 1: Make the Polenta

In a pot, add cold water and polenta together over medium-high heat, stir continuously with a whisk. Once the water has been absorbed, lower the temperature and add the milk. Continue stirring about every 10 minutes until the grains are swollen, tender and taste cooked, about 30-45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and parmesan and continue stirring. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 2: Prep the tomatoes and fennel

Blend the tomatoes and their juices in a blender and set aside. Bring a small pot of water to a boil to blanch the fennel. Add a generous pinch of salt. Remove the stem from the fennel bulb (set the fronds aside for garnish). Cut the fennel bulb into 12 wedges. Cut in half from the top, then looking at the core, cut each half into wedges as you would cut an orange. Blanch the fennel wedges in the boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside in a bowl.

Step 3: Make the Cacciatore

Season the skinless sablefish fillets with salt and pepper on both sides. Place a sauté pan over medium-high heat and drizzle 5 tablespoons olive oil in the pan. Add the fennel wedges, garlic, and red onion to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the chili flakes, then deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook until the liquid reduces by ¾. Add the tomatoes and fish stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to medium. Place the sablefish filets into the sauce, add the olives and herbs, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Plate and serve

Place ½ cup of polenta on the center of each plate and top with a fillet. Spoon the sauce over the fish, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with a few small pieces of fennel fronds.