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Slow-Roasted Char with Fennel Salad

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Nicole Franzen

Slow-roasting fish is to cooking seafood what bumper lanes are to bowling: the definition of foolproof—and still pretty fun. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    50 minutes

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandoline, divided
1¼ pounds arctic char or salmon fillet
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon peel
½ cup dill fronds

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 300°. Bring vinegar, sugar, caraway seeds, 2 tsp. salt, and ⅓ cup water in a small saucepan to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and add garlic. Let sit until garlic is slightly softened, 10–15 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add half of fennel and toss to coat. Let sit until fennel softens slightly and tastes pickled, 8–10 minutes.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, place char in a 2- or 3-qt. baking dish and coat with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until flesh easily flakes apart and a paring knife inserted into fish meets no resistance, 15–18 minutes.

    Step 4

    Drain fennel mixture; discard liquid. Toss in a small bowl with lemon juice, preserved lemon, remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, and remaining fennel; season with salt and pepper. Mix in dill.

    Step 5

    Serve char topped with fennel salad.

    Step 6

    Do Ahead: Garlic and fennel can be pickled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories (kcal) 360 Fat (g) 19 Saturated Fat (g) 2 Cholesterol (mg) 0 Carbohydrates (g) 14 Dietary Fiber (g) 2 Total Sugars (g) 6 Protein (g) 32 Sodium (mg) 1600
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