Lingcod, with its delicate flavor, is a perfect canvas for this nutty, brown butter pan sauce. A light dusting of flour before sautéing creates a light crust and ensures that the fish won’t stick to the pan. Any lean white fish, especially halibut, would be a fine substitute for lingcod.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 large garlic clove, thickly sliced
- ¼ cup milk or half and half
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 2 pieces lingcod, 6 to 8 ounces each
- All-purpose flour for dusting
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted pistachios
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Prepare Potatoes
In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes and garlic with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and use a ricer or potato masher to finely mash the potatoes and garlic into the saucepan. Over low heat, add the half and half and 1 tablespoon of the butter and stir until smooth. Season with salt and cover to keep warm.
Wilt Spinach
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet, preferably nonstick, until shimmering. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Prepare Fish
Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with flour, tapping off the excess. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the same skillet until shimmering. Add the fish and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes longer, depending on the thickness of the fish. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining butter to the skillet and melt over medium high heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened and the butter is nutty and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, add the pistachios, the lemon juice, and parsley.
Serve
Spoon the potato puree onto plates and top with the spinach. Arrange the fish on the spinach and spoon the sauce over everything. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Pro Tips
Follow a Sicilian theme and try to find an indigenous Sicilian grape, such as zibibbo or grillo. Any other fresh, dry Mediterranean white wine will work, too.
Know Your Cook
Grace Parisi
Culinary Director Grace Parisi is a cook, writer and cookbook author. Formerly the Senior Test Kitchen Editor at Food & Wine Magazine and Executive Food Director at TimeInc Books, her work has appeared in Cooking Light, Health, O Magazine, Epicurious, Fitness, Today, Serious Eats, Martha Stewart, and many more. She’s the author of more than 6 books, among them The Portlandia Cookbook and Get Saucy, which was nominated for a James Beard award for Best Single Subject Cookbook.
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