I love finding creative ways to make variations on a recipe, and it’s important to practice that skill so as to accommodate different dietary needs. Often when I do so, I come up with a winner, as with this week’s Berkshire Eagle column!

BEAN COUNTER

by Elizabeth Baer

My husband, Hank, recently celebrated a milestone birthday! But since he also recently had knee surgery and we couldn’t really go anywhere, the kids came to us. Of course I would plan a special dinner for the occasion, his choice for the menu.

Hank and his sister have a rule that they only exchange gifts when it’s milestone birthday. This is, perhaps, a good thing, especially for her, as Hank is very difficult to shop for! Five years ago, he asked for a cassoulet kit from D’Artagnan. Cassoulet is a dish from southwestern France, the region where duck is quite common, although here in the States, it’s seen as a luxury item. In fact, cassoulet began as a peasant dish, utilizing what was available. Duck confit (where the duck pieces are cooked in duck fat, then left in a cool spot fully submerged in the solidified duck fat as a way to preserve meat before refrigeration) is a main ingredient, as is a specific variety of white bean local to the area. Other ingredients include meats and sausages from local subregions, yielding numerous variations on the recipe.

In any event, the specialty food purveyor, D’Artagnan, sells a kit that includes a recipe and most of the ingredients, and after I first made it with the gift from five years ago, I’ve made it once again each winter, acquiring ingredients from various sources. All this is to say that Hank asked for cassoulet for his birthday, and I made two full recipes worth. If you are interested in making the traditional cassoulet, the D’Artagnan kit is a great way to try it out.

However, one of our daughters-in-law is pescatarian. (And another one of our daughters-in-law won’t eat anything that comes from the water, so go figure.) Of course I would make something different for her, and I also wanted to make it special. Furthermore, most, if not all, of my oven space would be taken up by the two pots of cassoulet, so it had to cook on top of the stove.

I settled on a stovetop braise of haddock with white beans and other vegetables. As much as we loved the cassoulet – we always do – the fish dish was so good we made it again with cod for the two of us a week later. Relying on canned beans and artichoke hearts, it’s much easier than it would seem, and yields a wonderful one pot dinner.

FISH WITH WHITE BEANS

Serves 2, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced in to half-moons
½ teaspoon salt, divided
4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
One 14-ounce can artichoke hearts in brine, drained, cut in half if whole
One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
Several grinds black pepper
Two 4 to 6-ounce pieces firm, white fish such as cod or haddock
½ cup low- or no-salt vegetable broth
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
Chopped parsley or chives for garnish, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion with ¼ teaspoon salt and sauté until softened. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and continue to sauté until the onions are just beginning to take on some color. Add the artichokes and beans and mix to combine. Allow to warm through.

Sprinkle the pieces of fish on both sides with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Nestle in the pan, surrounded by the beans. Add the vegetable broth, lower the heat to medium-low, and cover. Allow the fish to braise for 6-12 minutes until cooked through, at which point it will flake easily with a fork. The length of time will depend on the thickness of the pieces of fish.

Remove from heat, and, using a spatula, place a piece of fish on each diner’s plate. Divide the beans and other vegetables to surround the fish. Grate some lemon zest over each plate, using a Microplane or other similar fine-holed grater, and squeeze lemon juice over everything. Garnish with parsley or chives if desired.

Blog

A Fish Tale