Slow-Roasted Char with Fennel Salad
A delicate dish of slow-roasted arctic char or salmon served with a vibrant pickled fennel salad featuring preserved lemon and fresh dill. The fish is cooked until perfectly tender and topped with a bright, acidic fennel mixture that adds crunch and complexity.
Ingredients
- •½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- •1 tablespoon sugar
- •1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- •2 teaspoons kosher salt
- •6 cloves garlic
- •1 bulb fennel
- •1¼ pounds arctic char
- •4 tablespoons olive oil
- •to taste black pepper
- •1 tablespoon lemon juice
- •1 tablespoon preserved lemon peel
- •½ cup dill
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring vinegar, sugar, caraway seeds, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and add garlic. Let sit until garlic is slightly softened, 10-15 minutes.
15 min
- 2.
Add half of fennel and toss to coat. Let sit until fennel softens slightly and tastes pickled, 8-10 minutes.
10 min
- 3.
Meanwhile, place char in a 2- or 3-qt. baking dish and coat with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until flesh easily flakes apart and a paring knife inserted into fish meets no resistance, 15-18 minutes.
18 min
- 4.
Drain fennel mixture; discard liquid. Toss in a small bowl with lemon juice, preserved lemon, remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, and remaining fennel; season with salt and pepper. Mix in dill.
5 min
- 5.
Serve char topped with fennel salad.
2 min
- 6.
Garlic and fennel can be pickled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
