Edible San Diego Issue 45 January/February 2018

Sablefish with Cranberries, Cashews, and Cauliflower
Serves 4
The sablefish is seared until the skin is crispy
and caramelized, and served with a sprinkle
of crunchy, buttery cashews. A trio of
cauliflower preparations—roasted, pureed,
and shaved raw—echoes these textures and
flavors, while a swipe of tart cranberry
chutney brings it all to life.
Cranberry Chutney
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
(12 oz bag)
½ cup dried cranberries
2 cups cranberry juice (sweet)
¼ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar, plus extra to taste
1½ teaspoons sea salt, plus extra to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a medium
saucepan over medium-low heat, and cook
for 30 minutes or until the cranberries
are tender and the mixture is thickened
and saucy. Taste and adjust seasonings
with up to 1 teaspoon salt or 1 tablespoon
red wine vinegar, if needed. The sweet,
salty, and sour flavors should be balanced.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a blender
or food processor, and blend until slightly
chunky (or until smooth, if desired).
(Chutney can be made several days ahead
and refrigerated. Allow to come to room
temperature before serving.)
Cauliflower Three Ways
2 heads cauliflower, florets only (about 10
cups, divided)
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil or
unsalted butter
Sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
For the puree, steam half the cauliflower
(about 5 cups) in a steamer insert set over
a few inches of boiling water for 12 to 15
minutes or until tender but not soggy and
overcooked. Transfer the cauliflower to a
blender, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil
(or butter) and 1 teaspoon salt, and puree
until smooth.
For the roasted cauliflower, preheat the oven
to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss 3 cups of the
remaining florets with 1 tablespoon of the
olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and
toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a
rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven for
10 to 15 minutes or until florets are evenly
caramelized and golden brown. Toss with 1
tablespoon butter if desired.
For the raw cauliflower, use a mandoline
to shave the remaining florets (about 2
cups) lengthwise as thinly as possible.
Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with
the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, the
lemon juice, and salt to taste.
Sablefish
4 (4 to 5 oz) skin-on sablefish fillets
Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 lemon, halved
Chopped toasted cashews, for garnish
Smoked sea salt, to sprinkle
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Use paper towels
to pat the fish dry and season with salt and
pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed,
ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat
until almost smoking. Carefully lay the fish
in the pan skin side down. (If necessary, cook
the fish in batches to prevent overcrowding,
which will keep the fish from caramelizing
properly.) Reduce the heat to medium, and
cook for 1 minute or until a golden crust
forms on the skin. Flip the fillets over, skin
side up, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes
or until browned. Place the pan in the
oven and roast for 4 minutes or until fish is
opaque in the center and flakes easily.
Remove from the oven and add the butter
to the pan. Allow it to melt while you
squeeze the lemon over the fish. Use a
spoon to baste each fillet with the buttery
juices for about 1 minute. Transfer the fish
to a plate and keep warm.
Spread the cauliflower puree on each
plate. Add the fillets and surround with
roasted cauliflower. Spoon 2 tablespoons
of cranberry chutney over the fish, and top
with the shaved cauliflower. Garnish with a
sprinkling of cashews and smoked salt.
Photo bu Kevin Clark
January-February 2018 edible San Diego 37