Poached Cod with Rossa Lunga di Tropea

On Thursday evenings, I generally spend my time at the local cidery, Left Bank Ciders, with a couple of beers from neighboring breweries (they have fine cider, I’m just a beer guy). I sit, drink beer, tie flies, and stare at Catskill Creek beyond the parking lot. Occasionally, someone will strike up a conversation or ask a question about what the hell I’m doing. It’s a busy-ish evening at the cidery since there’s also a mini-farmers market inside with produce from Lo Farm in Catskill. This past week, I bought what I believe were Red Long of Tropea (or Rossa Lunga di Tropea) onions. I’ve never heard of them before but apparently, they’re traditionally grown in Mediterranean Italy and France and are supposed to be a little on the sweet side. I think, for the recipe below, a shallot or even red onion is perfectly acceptable. Enjoy with a toasted baguette, rice, or on its own.

INGREDIENTS
Fish Marinade
- 2 filets of cod
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of harissa
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper

Sauce
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Red Long of Tropea onions, chopped
- 1 small eggplant, chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 4 small tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
- 2-3 teaspoons of salt
- 1- 2 teaspoons of black pepper
- 4 tablespoons of tahini

Garnish
- handful of fresh basil, sliced thin
- green onions, sliced thin

INSTRUCTIONS
1 - Marinate fish for at least two hours with harissa, salt, pepper, and olive oil in the fridge.

2 - Chop all vegetables and set aside. Heat olive oil and butter and add cumin and fennel seeds. Stir for about 20 seconds and then add garlic, onions, and red pepper.

3 - After 1-2 minutes, add kale and eggplant. After another 1-2 minutes, add the tomatoes, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Saute for another 2-3 minutes, then turn the heat down to low and cover for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove your fish from the fridge and set aside.

4 - Put the sauteed vegetables in a large, metal mixing bowl and use an immersion blender (#ad) and puree until smooth. Add the tahini and blend for another 20 seconds.

5 - Put the puree back into the saute pan and bring back up to heat. Make sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Once heated, add the fish and submerge it into the puree. Cover and poach for 10 minutes.

6 - Garnish with basil, green onion, a drizzle of olive oil, and sea salt.