Baked Fish With Slow-Cooked Peppers
Meaty fish like striped bass, swordfish and halibut make good choices for pairing with the late-season vegetable harvest, specifically sweet peppers. Whether you use standard bell peppers, Italian “frying” peppers or some wonderful shapely variety, like corno di toro, cut them in half vertically, right through the stem, then remove the veins and seeds (as opposed to cutting off the tops first). That way, you’ll be able to make long slices, without any oddly sized leftover bits.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 4boneless (skin-on or skinless) fillets of striped bass or halibut (about 2 pounds)
- Salt and black pepper
- ½teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the pan
- 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1large onion, sliced into ¼-inch-thick half-moons
- 6bell peppers in a mix of colors, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- ½teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 1tablespoon snipped chives
Instructions
Step 1
Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle, grind coriander and fennel seeds to a powder. Combine with lemon zest, then rub mixture into each fillet. (At this point, you can cook right away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours, then bring to room temperature to cook.)Step 2
Prepare the peppers: Set a Dutch oven or wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil looks wavy, add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced peppers with a good pinch of salt and the garlic, paprika and cayenne, and turn heat to medium. Simmer with lid ajar, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes more. (Peppers should be quite soft and cooking them down may take up to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning along the way.) Set aside and let steep. (You can make the peppers hours or up to a day ahead and keep refrigerated.)Step 3
To cook fish, heat oven to 375 degrees and set a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Lay fish in pan in one layer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip fillets with a spatula and carefully set the pan in the oven, uncovered. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the fish is firm and beginning to flake. Sprinkle fish with parsley and chives, and serve with the peppers.