For the Love of Fish

I have always been a baker. Since the day that I was able to hold a spoon (well, almost) I have been whipping up batches of chewy chocolate chip cookies, mom’s Chinese dainties, and many other delicious and cavity-inducing indulgences. Driven by a desire to bring sugary happiness into other peoples’ lives (and to keep my waistline at an acceptable level), I often share the majority of what I bake with friends, colleagues, neighbors, homeless people, and random bar-goers (yes, really). There is nothing better than witnessing the delight of someone who has just been presented with an unsolicited baked good.

Or so I thought…

Lately, I have discovered the joy of cooking. The type of cooking that creates an intake of breath when presented to dinner guests: dishes that you want to take a picture of; food that is just too pretty to eat (but you still eat it anyway!). Enter this year’s “For the Love of Fish” winning recipe from C Restaurant as my ticket to the world beyond confectioner’s sugar and molasses:

Oyama Prosciutto wrapped Sablefish with Dungeness Crab and Gala Apple Vinegarette

• 500g Sablefish, skin off fillet
• 100g Oyama Prosciutto thinly sliced

Directions: Lay Prosciutto (width of the sablefish) onto your counter. Wrap Prosciutto around the sablefish and wrap cling wrap around the fish. Let sit for 24 hours. Using a non-stick pan and a small amount of vegetable oil, caramelize the Prosciutto roll on all sides. Let rest in pan for 15 minutes and then slice and serve.

• 250g Dungeness Crab
• 6pc Gala Apples, diced finely
• 6pc shallot, finely julienne
• 100ml Apple cider vinegar
• 50g chives, finely minced
• 2pc lemon, juiced and zest
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 30 ml honey
• 5g espelette chills

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a bowl together and let stand 1 hour prior to serving. Place on top of the sablefish and serve with rosemary potatoes.

This recipe uses sustainable seafood, it looks beautiful, and it is so easy to make that even a baker-turned-cook can throw it together and woo the masses. So, for this year’s holiday potluck, sign up to bring the main course instead of the dessert. Then, the night of the party, sit back, relax, and wait for the compliments to come rushing in. Perhaps even better than witnessing the delight of someone just presented with an unsolicited baked good is accepting the compliments of people who think you are a much better cook than you really are.

Do you have any good sustainable seafood recipes? Share them with us all in the comments section below!