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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
5 minutes
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Serves
2 to 4
Author Notes
A mild and tender fish, wild Alaska rockfish lends itself to bold flavors incredibly well. This recipe is inspired by the French technique fish à la nage, a method that requires poaching fish in stock or broth. Here, wild Alaska rockfish filets are poached in a mixture of coconut milk, jalapeño, ginger, cilantro, and lime for a fresh spiciness reminiscent of traditional Thai curries. This sustainable showstopper is made possible by the versatile wild rockfish that’ve been harvested in the area since the first humans settled in Alaska.
A whopping 37 species of rockfish—including Northern, canary, the perfectly pink Pacific ocean perch, and more—live in Alaska waters. To ensure a sustainable harvest, quotas are set for each species based on catch data from the previous year, then allocated among fishermen. Protecting the fish as well as their ecosystem is especially important because three species, including the Pacific ocean perch, represent over 90 percent of the harvest. —Rebecca Firkser
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe is shared in partnership with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. —The Editors
Ingredients
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2 1/2 cups
roughly chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and stems), divided
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3
garlic cloves
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1-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
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1
jalapeño, stemmed and halved (and seeded if desired)
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1
(13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
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1/2 teaspoon
fish sauce (optional)
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Kosher salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil
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1
medium yellow onion, finely chopped
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2 teaspoons
ground cumin or coriander (or 1 teaspoon each)
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4
(4 to 5 ounces each) Alaska rockfish filets (thawed, if frozen)
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Cooked rice, for serving
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Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
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Place 2 cups of the cilantro, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño in a blender with the coconut milk, 1 cup of water, and the fish sauce if using. Blend until very smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste (you’ll need less salt if using fish sauce). Blend again to combine.
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Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin or coriander and cook for another 30 seconds, then pour in the cilantro puree. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
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Season the rockfish on both sides with salt and pepper, then add to the saute pan. Cover and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily when pulled with a fork, 6 to 10 minutes (the thicker the filets are, the longer they’ll take). The poaching liquid should stay brothy.
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Divide the fish and poaching liquid into bowls with rice. Top with remaining 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
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