Spirited Dining at Home
Chef Willie White of the River House Grill is passionate about pairing the food and with the perfect wine. Try his Alberta Whitefish Fillet recipe and his wine recommendations for your next meal.
River House Grill Northern Alberta Whitefish Fillet, Black & White Sesame Seed Crust Warm Minted Snap Pea Coulis with Roast Red Pepper Drizzle
This is a Simple & Delightful way to Prepare Fresh Alberta White Fish
4 6 oz Fresh White Fish Fillets
(Remove Fine Bones with Tweezers)
1 Lemon, cut in half
sea salt for seasoning (regular salt is fine)
Chinese Five Spice Powder for Seasoning (can be found in any Chinese food section in your local grocery store)
3 oz (85 g) Butter
2 tsp 10 mL) White Sesame Seeds
2 tsp (10mL) Black Sesame Seeds
Parchment Paper
Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
Place boneless whitefish fillets on parchment paper. Season with salt (sea salt if you have on hand). Dust with Chinese Five Spice Powder and sprinkle with black & white sesame seeds. Place small pieces of butter on top of each fillet. bake in oven at 350 degrees for 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. When the fish is cooked, squeeze fresh lemon juice over fish.
Tip from chef: fish tastes a lot better a little under cooked, rather than over-cooked.
Pea Coulis
1 Cup (250 mL) fresh snap peas or snow peas, tailed and
peeled
6 oz (175 mL) fresh, sweet Small Peas, frozen works fine
in the off season
4 stems of fresh mint, chopped
1 hand full of fresh spinach
1 tsp (5 mL) salt or sea salt
2 tsp (10 mL) white sugar
Method
Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Add 1 tsp of salt and 2 tsp of sugar. add snap peas, bring to boil then add the sweet peas, spinach and fresh mint. Bring back to boil for 20 seconds. Remove mixture and place in a blender with some of the cooking liquid. Blend for 30 seconds . Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
Red Pepper Coulis
1 large red pepper
salt or sea salt
2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
Place pepper on BBQ grill or in oven at 500 degrees. The goal is to burn the outer skin, which should take 6 to 8 minutes. Place hot pepper in bowl and cover immediately with plastic wrap. Let pepper sit for 5 minutes. This steaming process will loosen skin for easy removal. Peel and cut pepper in half. Remove all seeds and place pepper in blender. Add sea salt and canola oil. Purée in a blender for one minute
Both coulis sauces can be drizzled over the fish or served on the side. For those who wish to add a little flare to their dish, you can put the coulis in a squeeze bottle and drizzle a creative design on the plate before serving. This dish can be prepared as a warm salad or as a main entrée course
Recommended Wine
VQA Canadian Gewürztraminer from the Okanagan Valley
Such as Sumac Ridge Private Reserve or Summerhill Organic Winery
Provide by Willie White, Executive Chef, River House Grill in St. Albert, Alberta. Visit www.riverhousegrill.com
For you beer and burger lovers, try Big Rock McNally Beer Burgers for your next BBQ.
McNally’s Beef Burgers from Big Rock Breweries
1 ½ lb (340 g)
½ bottle McNally’s Extra Ale
1 egg
¼ cup (50 mL) dried bread crumbs
¼ cup (50 mL) parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp.(30 mL)
1 tbsp. (15 mL) Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp. (5 mL)
1 tsp. (5 mL) salt
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
4 slices old cheddar cheese
Preheat BBQ to medium heat and grease grill. In large bowl mix all of the above ingredients, except the cheese, until well combined. Divide and form meat mixture into four patties. Grill 6 to 7 minutes each side. Serve burgers topped with a slice of old cheddar cheese.
Reprinted from with permission from www.bigrockbeer.com
