Best Arctic Char Recipes

OH MY ARCTIC CHAR!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Season arctic char with salt, place in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with lime zest.
• Combine lime juice, olive oil, sherry, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until garlic is finely chopped. Spread mixture over fish and season with black pepper and cayenne pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes, basting with pan juices about halfway through. When the fish is close to being cooked, switch the oven to broil for remaining two minutes or until browned.

GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR WITH HORSERADISH CREMA

Steps:

• Make the horseradish crema: Peel horseradish with a vegetable peeler and coarsely grate. Combine grated horseradish with sour cream, Dijon, chives and dill in a medium bowl and mix well. Season crema with lemon juice and salt to taste. (Crema can be made in advance; chill until you are ready to serve.)
• Heat grill to medium-high heat if you are using gas; if you have a charcoal grill, you want a nice hot bed of coals.
• Coat fish well with olive oil and season with salt. Set fish on the grill skin side down and cook, covered, until the flesh of the fish begins to turn opaque and the skin is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a grill spatula to carefully flip the fish and finish cooking to medium, about 2 minutes more.
• Spread horseradish crema on a serving platter or individual plates and place cooked fish on top with the skin side up. Garnish with dill and lemon wedges. Serve extra crema on the side.

GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.
• Using a sharp knife, make two vertical slices through the skin of fish fillets, taking care not to cut the flesh; season with sea salt and pepper.
• Place fillets on grill, skin-side down, and grill until skin is crisp and fish is almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Carefully turn fish and continue grilling until cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle fish with Maldon sea salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

SEARED SOY-SESAME ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper and brush with half of the sauce.
• Heat a small cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the fish skin side up for 4 minutes. Pour the remaining sauce over the fish and swirl the sauce around the pan. Carefully turn the fish, spoon the sauce over the top, and cook for 3 more minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Serve immediately.

GRILLED CHILE-LIME ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a large heavy knife.
• Stir together garlic paste, lime juice, oil, sugar, and chipotle chile in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
• Remove any bones from fish with tweezers, then pat fish dry and place, skin side down, on a plastic-wrap-lined large tray.
• Rub chile mixture all over flesh side of fish, then wrap plastic around fish and marinate at cool room temperature 15 minutes.
• While fish is marinating, prepare grill for cooking over indirect heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure
• To cook fish using a charcoal grill: Lightly oil grill rack, then put fish, skin side down, on grill rack with no coals underneath and grill, covered with lid, 4 minutes. Using 2 metal spatulas, loosen fish from grill rack and turn fish over, rotating 180 degrees. Grill fish, covered with lid, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more, then loosen from grill rack with spatulas and transfer to a clean platter. If desired, lift skin from fish with tongs and cook skin on rack directly over coals, turning over occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve over fish.
• To cook fish using a gas grill: Lightly oil grill rack, then put fish, skin side down, on rack above shut-off burner and grill, covered with lid, 4 minutes. Using 2 metal spatulas, loosen skin from grill rack and turn fish over. Grill fish, covered with lid, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes more, then loosen from grill rack with spatulas and transfer to a clean platter.
• If desired, lift skin from fish with tongs and cook skin directly over a burner, uncovered, turning over occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes, then serve over fish.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH SPINACH BUTTER

Steps:

• Put spinach in a mixing bowl and pour boiling water over to wilt it. Drain in a colander, rinse with cool water and squeeze completely dry. Chop the spinach as finely as you can and set aside.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse fish and pat dry. Season fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Put a few tarragon springs in the belly cavity.
• Line a roasting pan with a big piece of foil slightly longer than the fish, leaving ends hanging over. Smear middle section of foil lengthwise with 1 tablespoon soft butter and set fish on top. Smear top of fish with remaining tablespoon soft butter. Fold the sides of foil to the center and press against fish. Twist both ends of foil to make a tight package. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let fish rest 5 to 10 minutes, still in the foil package, while you make the sauce.
• Put crème fraîche in a wide saucepan or skillet over medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for a minute or so, until slightly reduced. Add cooked spinach, stirring to coat. Season with salt and pepper and turn heat to low. Quickly stir in 1 tablespoon chilled butter at a time. Each spoonful should be just melted before adding the next, to make a creamy sauce. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, tarragon and chives.
• Transfer fish to a warm serving platter. Carefully remove foil. (Fish should be cooked through but moist.) Peel away and discard skin from top of fish. Pour any collected pan juices into the sauce, then spoon sauce over fish. Serve with boiled new potatoes if desired.

HERB-STUFFED ROAST ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the leaves from 2 sage sprigs, 1 parsley sprig, all of the thyme sprigs and the rosemary; finely chop along with the lemon zest. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil to make a paste; set aside.
• Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Run the back of a knife over the skin of the fish to remove any excess moisture; pat dry inside and out. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Cut 4 slits through the skin on each side of the fish with a sharp knife; rub inside and out with 1 tablespoon olive oil, making sure to get inside the slits. Season the fish inside and out with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; spread the herb paste all over the inside.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 130 degrees F to 135 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the leaves from the remaining 1 sage sprig and 2 parsley sprigs; add to the hot oil and cook, stirring, until crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR ON BED OF GREENS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Season arctic char with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook fillets on grill pan skin side up until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip fillets and continue to cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, 3 to 4 minutes more. Pour lemon juice over fish; remove from heat.
• Divide salad greens over two plates and arrange mango, strawberries, and pecans on top; season with salt and black pepper. Carefully place an arctic char fillet on each portion and drizzle pan juices and remaining 2 teaspoon olive oil over salads.

SLOW-ROASTED ARCTIC CHAR WITH LEMON-MUSTARD SEED TOPPING

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
• 2. In a bowl combine the zest, olive oil, bread crumbs, parsley, tarragon, mustard seeds, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and sugar substitute. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the fish in the pan, skin side down. Sprinkle with pepper.
• Spread some of the lemon-herb mixture on each fillet.
• 3. Bake the char for 30 to 35 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is almost completely opaque. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH LEMON-CAPER BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 4 tablespoons butter, the capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl with a rubber spatula; set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil.
• Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread pieces, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 4 minutes; transfer to a plate.
• Wipe out the skillet; add the vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin-side down. Cook until the skin is browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 more minute; transfer to a plate.
• Meanwhile, add the haricots verts to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates and sprinkle with the croutons. Add the fish and top with the lemon-caper butter; serve with lemon wedges.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH CUCUMBER-FETA RELISH AND JALAPEñO-GOAT CHEESE HUSH PUPPIES

Steps:

• For relish:
• Toss first 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Season relish with salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
• For fish:
• Sprinkle fish on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Place fish, skin side down, in skillet. Cook until skin is brown, occasionally flattening with spatula to prevent curling, about 4 minutes. Turn fish over. Cook until just opaque in center, about 1 minute.
• Using slotted spoon, mound relish on plates. Top with fish, skin side up. Arrange hush puppies alongside and serve.

RED CHILE RUBBED GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat the fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the brown sugar, ancho chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
• Preheat the grill, a grill pan or a nonstick saute pan over high heat. Brush both sides of the char with the oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Rub one side of each fillet with some of the spice rub. Cook the char rub-side down until golden brown and a crust has formed, about 3 minutes, and then flip and continue cooking to medium doneness, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
• Slice the skin into 1/4-inch strips, and then dredge in the rice flour. Fry until crispy, about 1 minute. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined sheet tray and immediately sprinkle with salt.
• Plate the fish rub-side up, topped with the crispy skin. Serve some of the Salsa Vera Cruz alongside, and garnish with cilantro leaves and pumpkin seeds.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Combine the tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, thyme, garlic, jalapenos and red onions in a medium bowl. Add the canola oil to the pan, and cook the mixture 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Finish with the olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.

WHOLE ROASTED ARCTIC CHAR WITH FENNEL AND PISTOU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rinse the fish well inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Lay the big-boy out on a large rimmed sheet pan; cut 4 gashes crosswise on both sides of the fish, slicing all the way down to the bone. Season the arctic char with a generous amount of salt and pepper, inside the cavity and all over the skin. Stuff the mixed herbs and fennel inside the body of the fish. Tuck a lemon slice and bay leaf inside each of the slats. Rub a decent amount of olive oil on all parts of the fish. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the skin is crispy and the fish itself is flaky. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fennel fronds. Serve with Pistou sauce.
• Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Serve at room temperature with grilled or roasted fish.
• Yield: 1 cup

ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking dish with aluminum foil. 2. Season arctic char with salt, place in prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with lime zest. 3. Combine lime juice, olive oil, sherry, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until garlic is finely chopped. Spread mixture over fish and season with black pepper and cayenne pepper. 4. Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes, basting with pan juices about halfway through. When the fish is close to being cooked, switch the oven to broil for remaining two minutes or until browned.

SOY-HONEY-GLAZED ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Season fish with salt and pepper. Whisk together soy sauce, honey, and lime juice.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add fish, skin-sides down, and cook, undisturbed, until skin is crisp and fish are opaque halfway up sides, about 2 minutes. Flip, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until just cooked through but still pink in centers, about 1 1/2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, skin-sides up.
• Wipe skillet clean; return to medium-high heat. Add soy mixture and boil until darkened slightly and reduced to a glaze, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately return fish to skillet, gently flipping several times to evenly coat in glaze. Place fish over rice and drizzle with remaining glaze from skillet. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds and serve, with bok choy.

PICKLED ARCTIC CHAR WITH HORSERADISH CREAM AND LEMON-MARINATED CUCUMBER

Steps:

• Thinly sliced whole wheat bread (about 3 by 3-inches wide), as needed
• To make the Arctic Char: Thinly slice the Arctic char into 1/4-inch thick slices and rub them with kosher salt. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Put the arctic char in the vinegar mix and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• To make the Lemon-Marinated Cucumber Salad: Using a Japanese-style mandolin, julienne the cucumber and transfer to a bowl. Add the lemon juice and peel, sugar, and dill. Season with sea salt, to taste.
• To make the Horseradish Cream: In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve, spread the bread slices with the cream and top with the Arctic char and cucumber salad.

ARCTIC CHAR WITH HORSERADISH CREAM, SWEET-AND-SOUR BEETS, AND DANDELION GREENS

Steps:

• For horseradish cream:
• Grate horseradish in processor fitted with coarse-shredder disk. Transfer horseradish to medium saucepan. Add cream. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes to infuse. Strain cream into small saucepan, pressing firmly on solids. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For beets:
• Cook red and golden beets in separate medium pots of boiling salted water until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and cool. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Peel red beets; cut each in half and place in medium skillet. Peel golden beets; cut each in half and place in another medium skillet. Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar into each skillet. Cook beets in each skillet over medium-high heat until liquid thickens to syrup and begins to coat beets, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Season beets with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• For fish and greens:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add fish, skin side down. Sear until skin is brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Place skillet with fish in oven. Roast fish until barely opaque in center, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, warm horseradish cream over medium heat. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add greens and sauté until just wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide greens among 4 plates. Top greens with fish, skin side up. Surround fish with beets. Spoon warm horseradish cream over and drizzle with beet juices.

GRILLED WHOLE ARCTIC CHAR

Steps:

• Let fish stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Divide mint-chive butter into 2 bowls. Season cavity of fish with salt and pepper, and brush generously with half the mint-chive butter. Tie together with kitchen twine to close. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a charcoal grill to medium. Lightly brush grates with oil. Sear lemons, cut sides down, until caramelized, about 3 minutes; transfer to a serving platter. Brush grates to clean.
• Grill fish, covered, about 12 minutes. (Check on fish once or twice to make sure heat is even and fish is not charring.) Open lid, and flip fish carefully using 2 heavy spatulas. Cover, and grill until skin is crisp and fish is flaky when pierced with the tip of a knife in the thickest area, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer fish to a platter using spatulas. Brush fish with remaining mint-chive butter. Let stand for 10 minutes; untie. Garnish with mint.

ROASTED ARCTIC CHAR WITH LEEKS AND HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• 1. To prepare the fish: Halve the leeks lengthwise, then slice crosswise and transfer to a large bowl of water. Swish leeks to release any grit; lift from the water. Drain.
• 2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and thyme, and cook, stirring, until wilted and liquid reduces, 6 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste. Add cider, bring to a boil, and cook until almost dry, 4 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, boil until thick and it coats the leeks. Add brandy, cook down slightly. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
• 3. Open fish and season well with salt and pepper. Spread leek mixture along flesh and close fish. Tie closed with kitchen twine (or cooked leek greens) at 4-inch intervals. Brush oil all over skin, season with salt and pepper.
• 4. Preheat the broiler to high (with convection broiler if you have it). Line a pan with foil and lightly brush with oil. Place the prepared pan in broiler and heat for 5-10 minutes.
• Carefully lay the fish on the preheated pan. Broil fish until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 130 to 135 degrees F, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and rest fish for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
• 5. Stir all sauce ingredients together. Transfer fish to a serving platter, remove strings. Serve with sauce on the side.

PAN ROASTED ARCTIC CHAR WITH ORANGE AND ROSEMARY BEURRE BLANC

Steps:

• In a saucepot over medium heat add orange juice, white wine, orange zest and rosemary. Reduce to 1/2 cup of liquid. Strain and return to saucepot. Over medium heat whisk in the cream and bring to a low boil. Turn heat to low and whisk in cold cubes of butter. Remove rosemary sprig and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve warm.
• In a skillet over medium heat add the olive oil. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, then add to the hot pan. Allow fish to cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Remove fish from pan and place on top of warmed wild rice. Add sauce around and over fish. Garnish with chopped rosemary and orange segments.