Smoky Provençal Bluefish
Serve with Anchoide - Provençal Anchovy Sauce
Bluefish from a friend's trip launches a lesson in Anchoïde - Provençal Anchovy Sauce. New Smoking Tools offer boon to home cooks, too. An evening in Provençe is yours.
What to do when a friend gives you two huge bluefish filets he caught himself? Rejoice and create an evening en Provençe.
Bluefish is a fish only a fish-lover could love. It’s the real deal. Here, in New England it is a summer staple. The best is line-caught. This fish can stand up to bold accents. Capers, olives, anchovies, the Provençal palette offers such rich strong flavors – it is a match made in heaven, really.
Anchoïde or Anchoyade – (pronounced ahn-shwa-yahd) this is a Provençal specialty similar to Italian Bagna Cauda. A paste, puree or dip made from anchovies, garlic, olive oil and variously also including: mayonnaise, vinegar, egg yolk. I made mine in a mortar and pestle beginning with milk-soaked anchovies (relieving the oil/salt cured beauties of a touch of their salt); fresh ground black pepper, sherry vinegar, garlic, olive oil. I added a bit of Dijon mustard, a little mayonnaise, a bit more garlic, and fresh chopped parsley. Tasting as I went, adjusting. I got to a product thicker than a salad dressing but thinner than mayonnaise. Good deep flavor but not overly salty, overly garlic-ky, nor overly anchovy.
Anchoïde – proportions vary per recipe and per purpose. For this preparation, my goal was to have a balanced sauce/paste, almost like a spice rub for the bluefish. For a crudite platter I'd go a little more piquant.
Method:
In food processor or large mortar and pestle mash and blend:
- Several anchovy fillets (about 6, soaked in milk briefly, drained)
- Garlic, pressed (about 3-4 cloves)
- Fresh coarse ground black pepper (several grinds)
- Fresh grated lemon zest from one lemon
- Juice from half lemon
- Olive oil (TBSP or so)
- Sherry or red wine vinegar (tsp or two)
- Dijon mustard (tsp)
- Mayonnaise (tsp)
- Dash hot pepper sauce
- Chopped Italian parsley (couple tsps)
Mash and blend ingredients until a balanced sauce emerges.
Anchoïde can also be served as a dip for crudite. Like tapenade (made from olives), Anchoïde has a strong flavor that stands up well to summer cocktails. Imagine the stone patio of a summer home overlooking fields of lavender. Sip a cool glass of wine, have a salty tasty bite, relax. Okay, even if you're stuck in an apartment in Albuquerque or a house in Hoboken, you can still set a Provençal meal together with little effort.
Fresh fish and up to the minute tips:
As proof that my finger truly rests on the pulse of what’s hot in the food world, I offer this late night/early morning find. A New York Times article on a famous gastronome whose first offer of a recipe is…(drum roll s’ils vous plait)
Smoky Provençal Bluefish
Ingredients:
- Two large bluefish filets (could also use striper, swordfish, or any hefty fish)
- 1/3 C – ½ C each: Radishes; Chopped red bell pepper; Sliced onion; Olives; Tomatoes
- ¼ C capers
- Fresh oregano (dried is okay as long as it's good Sonoran Oregano)
- Fresh thyme
- Dried lavender (be sure it's culinary lavender)
- Fresh parsley
- One, or two Balinese long peppers
- Sprinkle of red chile flakes
- One large whole allspice berry
- Vya vermouth a healthy 1/3 C.
Method:
- Bake at 475 degrees for about 15 minutes;
- Reduce heat to 375 for about 10 - 15 minutes.
- Carefully open smoker bag - steam and juice will be hot and fragrant.
- Catch the juice and sauce each serving with the fish.
Serve over Israeli cous cous or orzo pasta. Or simply with some crusty bread and a hearty wine. A Provençal Rose might be too light, but a Lambrusco or a light yet hearty red would be fine. Striper, Striped Bass, Rockfish are also great fish we New Englanders with lucky fishing friends get our hands on this time of year.
Cooking en papillote is another great way to handle fish, particularly if you have a more delicate fish that would not benefit from the smoky flavor. Don't forget my kitchen tip for removing capers from their skinny little bottles!
