Fish with Pepper Sauce
This tasty sauce goes well with all kinds of fish. In the recipe, I use firm white fish, frying the fillets first, then briefly simmering them in the sauce. The acidity and intensity of the sauce also complement more oily fish, such as bluefish and mackerel. I like to grill bluefish whole (rather than fry them), then remove the skin and bones, and serve topped with sauce.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
Preparation
Step 1
To roast the peppers: Heat the oven to 350°. Rub the peppers all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until the skins are wrinkled and slightly charred. Let the peppers cool completely, then peel off the loosened, charred skin. Slice the peppers lengthwise, discard the stem, and scrape out the seeds. Cut the halves crosswise in 1/2-inch strips, and let them drain and dry in a sieve.
Step 2
Pour 1/3 cup olive oil into the skillet, and set it over medium heat. Stir in the onion and celery, season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the peperoncino, and cook them for a few minutes to soften. Stir in the marjoram, sage, and orange zest, and heat until everything is sizzling, then pour in the tomatoes along with a cup of water used to rinse the tomato can and bowl. Partially cover the pan, heat to a boil, and adjust the heat to keep the sauce perking steadily. Cook about 20 minutes, until the onion and celery are tender, then remove the pan from the heat.
Step 3
Pour the sauce into a food mill set over a clean saucepan and pass it through (or mash the sauce with a potato masher and press it through a wire strainer). Rinse the skillet with a cup of water, and stir into the strained sauce. You should have about 2 1/2 cups sauce in all. Stir in the pepper strips, and keep the sauce over low heat while you flour and fry the fish.
Step 4
Season the fillets with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and lightly dredge them in the flour, coating both sides and shaking off the excess. Pour the remaining olive oil into the nonstick skillet, and set over high heat. Lay the fillets in the pan, flesh side down, and let them cook, without moving, until the first side is nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn the fish, and cook until the skin side is crisp, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Step 5
Turn off the heat, spoon any excess oil out of the pan, and pour in the pepper sauce so it surrounds the fillets. Bring to a bubbling simmer, and cook the fish in the sauce just until cooked through, 5 minutes or so, depending on thickness.
Step 6
Remove the pan from the heat, and lift the fillets with a spatula onto a large warm platter. Spoon the sauce over the fish, sprinkle the parsley on top, and serve immediately.
