A full Pan Seared Sablefish Dinner with all the fancy trimmings – a dish that will certainly impress!
Sunchoke Puree, veloute, fried sunchokes, mushroom escabeche & blanched asparagus
Pan-Seared Sablefish
Simple, crispy, and absolutely delicious!
- 4 sablefish (black cod) fillets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, for cooking
Pan-Seared Sablefish
- Season the Fish
Sprinkle both sides of the sablefish fillets with salt and pepper. - Sear the Skin
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy. - Finish Cooking
Flip the fillets and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. - Serve
Remove from the skillet and serve immediately
Crispy skin is the star—don’t rush it!
Sunchoke Puree
- 2 pounds sunchokes (or starchy potatoes!)
- 1 cup heavy cream (8 ounces)
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Herb Bouquet
- 2 small sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 1 bay leaf – fresh or dried is fine!
(Tie them up like a little bouquet, because who doesn’t love something tied with butcher’s twine?
Here’s a JH tip: if you don’t have butchers twine, don’t panic. You can add the herbs to a coffee filter, and staple it shut, or if you have cheesecloth, do the same!)
- Prep the Sunchokes
Trim and peel the sunchokes. Yes, they’re knobby, but think of it as exfoliating for vegetables. Slice them into ¼-inch rounds—uniform-ish is fine; we’re not auditioning for Iron Chef. - Simmer the Sunchokes
Place the sunchokes and cream into a saucepan, about 8 inches in diameter (or a similarly sized pot). Cover with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar. Add in the herb bouquet for a gentle infusion. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream is nearly absorbed and the sunchokes are tender. - Sauté the Onion
While the sunchokes are simmering, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. - Blend It Like You Mean It
Discard the herb bouquet, squeezing out any last bits of flavour. Transfer the cooked sunchokes and caramelized onion to a food processor or high-speed blender. Add the butter, salt, pepper, and cream from the pot. Purée until silky smooth. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, then taste and adjust as needed—your taste buds know best. - Serve with Style
The purée can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat gently in a warm oven or on the stovetop!
Serving Suggestions
This purée is the perfect base for seared sablefish or any elegant main dish like scallops. Feeling fancy? Garnish with toasted nuts, fried sage leaves, or freshly chopped chives. Or just let it shine on its own—it’s versatile like that.
Mushroom Escabeche
Because marinated mushrooms in Sherry vinegar are the classy add on to any dish you didn’t know you needed.
- 1 pound mushrooms (I like to use a blend of wild mushrooms, but cremini will do just the trick!)
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
- 4/5 cup (200 ml) Sherry vinegar
- 4/5 cup (200 ml) good white wine (I love a Chablis, naturally, but feel free to use anything dry!)
- 3/5 cup (150 ml) water – Evian preferred… kidding!
- 2 2/5 cups (600 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch dried rosemary
- Prep the Mushrooms
Clean the mushrooms thoroughly. Slice off the tough ends, give any dirty spots a scrub with a damp paper towel, cut into ½ thick slices. Set aside and imagine how much better they’ll taste later - Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the butter. Add the finely chopped shallots and cook until translucent and aromatic, about 5 minutes
- Vinegar Magic
Pour in the Sherry vinegar and let it reduce by half. This should take 10-15 minutes, during which your shallots will begin to caramelize and brown beautifully. Don’t rush this step; caramelization equals flavor. - Wine and Water
Add the white wine and water to the pot. Reduce again by half—another 8-10 minutes. By now, the base should smell incredible. - Mushroom Party
Stir in the sliced mushrooms, whole garlic cloves, bay leaf, peppercorns, rosemary, and the remaining olive oil. Reduce the heat to low and let everything simmer gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the mushrooms soak up all the good stuff. - Season and Cool
Taste and adjust the salt if needed—don’t be shy, seasoning is key here. Let the escabeche cool completely in the pot. Transfer it to a jar or container, making sure the oil rises to cover the mushrooms.
You can serve these mushrooms right away, however, the oil will act as a natural seal, allowing it to keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks!
Classic Velouté Sauce
A silky sauce & base for soups, stews, or elegant dishes. Use any type of stock depending on the dish you’re cooking!
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 teaspoon for finishing
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken, beef, vegetable, or fish stock
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- Make the Roux
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes until it bubbles but stays pale. - Incorporate the Stock
Whisk in 1 cup of stock all at once, ensuring the mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk in the remaining stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Once bubbling, continue whisking for 2 minutes until thickened. - Finish and Store
Use immediately or transfer to a container. Dot the surface with the remaining teaspoon of butter to prevent a skin. Cool for 10-15 minutes before covering and refrigerating or freezing.
Classic Roasted Asparagus
Simple, elegant, and perfectly crisp-tender.
- 2 pounds fresh asparagus (I like the thick daddies, but the thin will also do just fine 😉
- Olive oil, roughly 2 tablespoons
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Prep the Asparagus
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus. If the stalks are thick, peel them for a more tender bite. - Season
Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat evenly, and spread into a single layer. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. - Roast
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender but still has a slight crunch. Serve immediately
For an extra touch, finish with a squeeze of lemon!
Crispy Sunchoke Chips with Lemon Salt
Because life is too short for boring snacks!
Sunchokes:
- 6–7 medium sunchokes
- 1 quart vegetable oil
Lemon Salt:
- Kosher salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Heat the Oil
Fill a medium pot halfway with oil. Heat over medium-low until it reaches 375°F. Use a thermometer—hot oil drama is not the vibe. - Make the Salt
Combine lemon zest with a pinch of salt, rubbing it between your fingers to release the lemony oils. (Or skip this step and use the lemon salt mentioned above!) - Slice the Sunchokes
Slice the sunchokes paper-thin. A mandolin works wonders, but a knife will do in a pinch. - Fry in Batches
Test the oil with one slice; if it floats and sizzles, you’re good to go. Fry a handful at a time, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy. Avoid overcrowding the pot unless chaos is your thing. - Season and Serve
Transfer the chips to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with lemon salt while still hot, let them crisp for a minute, and serve.
These chips are actually so good it’s crazy lol
Alright, now if you want to assemble this all together with style and ease, start by spooning about ½ cup of the purée onto the center of your plate. Use the back of a large spoon to spread it out in a casual, effortless swirl—because we’re all about elegance, not perfection.
Next, place your beautifully pan-seared sablefish right on top. Spoon a generous helping of the mushroom escabeche over the fish, letting a little of that gorgeous infused oil drizzle artfully around the plate.
Layer on the roasted asparagus, drape everything with a luscious drizzle of velouté, and finish with a crown of crispy fried sunchoke chips for that extra crunch. Finally, sprinkle a little flaky salt over the top for that perfect finishing touch.
And just like that—dinner is served. Now what’s for dessert?
