The coldwater fish arctic char tastes like a cross between salmon and trout and is related to both. Like salmon and trout, arctic char has buttery red flesh that lends itself well to smoking, though I often roast the fish on a bed of citrus and herbs and serve it with a simple sweet and tart sauce. Most commercially available arctic char is sustainably farmed in Alaska, Canada, Iceland, or Norway. And like salmon, arctic char offers a favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids and is rich in B vitamins.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
FISH
- 8 sprigs rosemary
- 4 (4-to 6-ounce) arctic char fillets
- 2 whole oranges with their skin intact, thinly sliced
ORANGE AND ROSEMARY SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, minced Juice of 3 oranges
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 sprig rosemary
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- To prepare the fish, line a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the rosemary. Place the arctic char fillets in a single layer on the rosemary and top them with orange slices. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork.
- While the fish roasts, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When it froths, stir in the shallot and sauté until it softens and becomes translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the orange juice and honey and drop in the rosemary. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.
- Pluck out the rosemary and serve the sauce over the roasted fish.
