Wild char is available for just a few weeks of the year – in the fall. It’s related to salmon and trout, a little more subtle than salmon and more interesting than trout, in my opinion. My local Whole Foods’ fresh fish counter had a splendid selection of fish this weekend, and I went straight for their Arctic char. I picked up some ginger root at the same time, and here’s what I came up with. Char is delicious, nutritious, sustainable and easy to cook – please give it a fair chance.
Serves 4
1½ lb Arctic char fillet
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
A generous handful of shredded scallions
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of a lemon or lime
Seasoning: chili flakes, sea salt, black pepper
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Preheat oven to 425 degrees or broiler to high. Smear some of the olive oil onto a large piece of foil, place char on it, skin side up. Sprinkle with ginger, scallions and seasoning. Cover with remaining olive oil and citrus juice. Fold foil in over char to make an open packet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, taking care not to overcook. Once it is cooked place fillet on a serving dish and keep warm. Tip remaining contents of the foil packet into a small pan and bring to the boil, then simmer fast for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors. Add the heavy cream and heat through to make a sauce, slackening with a little water or white wine if necessary.
Serve with some tiny steamed potatoes and a green vegetable (kale steamed with garlic is a good one).
Tip
Ginger gets ‘woody’ after being stored for a while, so when I buy a piece of root and have some left over I like to put it (whole, sliced or grated) into a jar with some rice wine vinegar, a little salt and a little sugar. Close the jar and store in your refrigerator. This instant supply of ginger will keep for many weeks, and the liquor is also fabulous added to stir fries and dressings.
