BRAISED ROCKFISH with Fumet, Vegetables seaweed and seal oil

This recipe is based on the Southeast Traditional Foods Contemporary Chef Webisode.  If you don’t have access to some of the traditional Alaska Native ingredients, I’ve listed some substitutions you can try.  The dish should work well for any firm fleshed white fish like cod or halibut.

Photo by Dr. Gary Ferguson

Want to see the video and how I prepared it?  Watch it here  … and see the other videos in our “watch” section.

Photo by Dr. Gary Ferguson

SEAFOOD FUMET (fish broth)
 Fish bones rinsed in ice water until the water runs clear
 (also remove gill plate if cooking head)
 8 oz or 1/2 ea onion, rough chop
 3 stocks of celery, rough chop
 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
 1 gallon of water
 1/2 lemon, reserve to finish

PROCEDURE
1. Bring to a boil, drop to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
1. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Strain, reserve liquid.

FINISH THE BRAISING LIQUID
 3 T oil, any good quality cooking oil
 4 oz (1/2 cup) onion, small dice
 4 oz (1/2 cup) celery, small dice
 4 oz (1/2 cup) red pepper, small dice
 1 clove, garlic, minced
 6 oz (3/4 cup) potatoes, small diced
 gallon fumet

PROCEDURE
1. In a sauce pan over medium heat sweat onion, celery.
2. When translucent add garlic and potatoes, stir to keep from sticking.
3. Add stock, bring to boil, drop to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

FOR THE PLATE UP
 2 T oil, salad or olive
 2-6 oz portions of rockfish, Scaled, with an "X"
scored on the flesh side
 12 oz fumet with vegetables cooked
 1/2 oz yarrow (or other greens -- such as chard or spinach)
 1/2 oz wild parsley ( or other greens -- such as chard or spinach)
 1 tablespoon lemon juice
 2 tablespoons seaweed (can use Hijiki seaweed
or other seaweed from your store)
 2 oz seal oil (the oil can be any high quality oil
or extra virgin olive oil)

PROCEDURE
1. In a medium heat saute pan add oil, sear rockfish skin side down.
2. Press down lightly with spatula to make sure skin sears well.
3. When you notice a hard white line, flip in pan.
4. Add fumet with vegetables, cook for 12 to 3 minutes
5. Finish with seaweed, foraged greens-just wilted.
Plate with fish on bottom, broth and veggies over the top, seal oil drizzled over the plate.