the moderate epicurean

a quest for measured pleasure...

Monday, May 14, 2007

I try to make fish or seafood at least once a week. Good to get those Omega 3s, plus the variety of choices offers delicious meals that are light on calories. The kids love shrimp...but not much else. Sigh. So if I've got a hankering for un-shrimp, I'll make it on a night when it's just John and me for dinner. Like tonight. I bought a lovely piece of halibut today, thinking I'd make a quick brothy soup. Something French-ish, with tarragon, and little cubes of potato, and a handful of peas. Which would have been great, but when I set out to actually prepare it I changed my mind and went for some lusty Italian heat, baby, to match today's weather. White wine, tomatoes, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, and lots of garlic. Ladled over a slice of crusty grilled bread - absolutely delicious, light yet filling, and on the table in 15 minutes. Good combo, huh? (Recipe posted in comments, below.)

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1 Comments:

At 6:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Easy Fish Soup with Spicy Broth and Grilled Bread
Stephanie Levy
Serves 4

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1 c. chopped tomatoes (cherry are nice in the off season)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ c. white wine
3-8 oz. bottles clam juice
¾ lb. halibut, cut into 1-inch cubes
4-1-inch slices crusty, dense, Italian country bread
olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half

Preheat grill. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, shallot, tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in wine and clam juice and bring to a simmer; turn heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.

While broth simmers, prepare grilled bread. Lay bread slices out on a baking sheet and drizzle both sides lightly with olive oil. Grill for a few minutes on each side, until lightly toasted. Rub each slice with cut garlic. (If the clam juice you’re using is quite salty, don’t sprinkle salt on the bread; if it’s not, sprinkle bread very lightly with coarse salt.) Set aside.

Stir halibut pieces into the simmering broth and heat until just cooked through and starting to flake, about 4 minutes. Taste for seasoning – add salt and pepper as needed. To serve, place a slice of grilled bread in each of four bowls. Ladle soup over the bread.

Note: bread can alternately be toasted under a broiler.

 

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