Best Arctic Char With Soba Noodles Pine Nuts And Lemon Recipes

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ARCTIC CHAR WITH SOBA NOODLES, PINE NUTS AND LEMON



Arctic Char With Soba Noodles, Pine Nuts and Lemon image

Soba, the slender buckwheat noodles from Japan, are pale brown in color, earthy in flavor and springy in the bite. Pair them with a silky, pink piece of fish to create a simple, elegant study in contrasts. The fish here, Arctic char, is reminiscent of salmon but has a more delicate texture. It's seasoned with cumin seeds that, in a clever move, are briefly toasted in a pan then steeped in oil. The deeply scented oil and seeds are then spooned over the fish for a rich coating of flavor. The fish is roasted about 10 minutes, to desired doneness, while the noodles are tossed in a dressing of finely ground pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, along with a ribbon of olive oil. The recipe calls for Meyer lemons, which are smooth-skinned, sweet, fragrant and juicy, without the acidic tartness of more commonplace lemons. Meyers are easier to find than they used to be, but are still something of a delicacy in the produce aisle. Regular lemons will do fine.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     dinner, easy, quick, weekday, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

6 ounces soba noodles
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 arctic char fillets, about 8 ounces each, preferably center-cut pieces, skin removed
Meyer lemon wedges, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro or mint, for serving

Steps:

  • Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse under cold water; drain well.
  • Pulse the pine nuts in a food processor until finely ground. Scrape them into a large bowl. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and lemon zest. Whisk in the lemon juice. Slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons oil. Toss noodles with the dressing.
  • Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
  • Set a small skillet over medium-high heat and allow to heat up, about 1 minute. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add remaining oil. Allow to cool slightly.
  • Season both sides of the fish with remaining salt and a pinch of pepper and place on the baking sheet. Spoon the cumin and oil evenly over the fillets. Roast to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium rare.
  • Divide the noodles among four plates and place the fish over the noodles. Garnish with the lemon wedges and cilantro or mint.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 1211, UnsaturatedFat 52 grams, Carbohydrate 34 grams, Fat 80 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 89 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 1044 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams

ARCTIC CHAR WITH SPINACH BUTTER



Arctic Char with Spinach Butter image

Darina Allen, known as the Julia Child of Ireland, has run the Ballymaloe Cooking School on an organic farm in east Cork for more than 30 years. Here's a lovely dish from her repertoire, a whole fish wrapped in a foil package, seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper, butter and a sprig of tarragon. The fish emerges moist and juicy, ready for a creamy butter sauce packed with chopped spinach and herbs. Ms. Allen makes it with pink trout, which are plentiful in Ireland, but this recipe calls for Arctic char, which is more widely available in the United States. But you could substitute pink trout (also called coho trout) if you can find it, or large wild trout, or even thick fillets of steelhead trout or salmon.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dinner, main course

Time 50m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

10 ounces baby spinach
1 Arctic char, about 2 pounds, cleaned and left whole
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus a few sprigs for inside the fish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, plus 6 chilled tablespoons for sauce
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely sliced chives
1 pound boiled new potatoes, for serving (optional)

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.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 635, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 43 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 57 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 871 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams

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