A highly riffable one-pot fish dish
And lessons on making the most with what you have
Hello readers! I hope you all had a great summer even though it isn't technically over. Here in the northeast, September weather arrived in the middle of August. I’m not complaining because it’s been very pleasant, especially in NYC, where I spent some time this month while our house was rented. It makes me a tiny bit anxious though, because it means short days and cold weather are on their way, and there is no stopping it.
It’s been quite a year! After being displaced by our fire for six months, we finally moved back into our house at the end of June. We never fully put things away nor had a chance to relax though, because we were getting ready to move out again soon after we arrived. There was also quite a bit of work on the house that needed to be finished, which was disruptive to say the least. I’m really glad I told my editor long ago that September 1st would not be a good deadline for the COOKIE BOOK—and that was before I knew that our lives would be upended.
We came back home on Monday (Labor Day) while the cleaners were still cleaning because we couldn't stay away a minute longer. We immediately went to the garden and started weeding and picking tomatoes. The weeds weren’t too bad, and my tomato plants looked great! It’s hard to find a tenant who is willing to water as much as you would, but they did, and I am grateful. We have great tenants who rented last year, and we hope they’ll be back next year!
They also left us a lot of striped bass which was caught on a fishing trip. After sharing some of it with the house cleaners, I had four big chunky pieces left, so dinner was sorted. I wasn’t much in the mood to cook, so I wanted to make it easy. I shared with you last year a new way I was cooking fish, which was in a skillet on the gas grill, sometimes slathered first in pesto (store bought is fine!) This time though, I wanted to cook some vegetables along with the fish to make a one-pot dish. I had just been to our local farmstand, Balsam Farms, to grab a few things before they closed for Tumbleweed Tuesday, so I had some sweet and snappy green beans which were perfect. I had just had a whole roasted branzino from Borgo in NYC that was served on top of a ragout of mushy-on-purpose romano beans and creamy white beans, and it was soooo good. That may have inspired me!
My tenants also left some nice ripe tomatoes, including some orange plum tomatoes which were perfect because I wanted to make a pan sauce. Pro tip, though: Take a moment to peel tomatoes before adding them to a dish. It only takes a minute and hardly dirties a pot. After making a crisscross cut at the bottom of each tomato, dunk into boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds, and remove the skins. If you don’t do this, your dish will be marred in both appearance and texture by those little rolled up skins. I didn't use any wine in this dish, but that would have been nice. I also forgot the fresh Calabrian chile I had just picked from the garden, which also would have worked well.
I opened the pantry to see what 15 to 20 minute grain I had (it was already too late to start cooking brown rice!) and was delighted to find one of my favorites, (cracked) freekeh, which is smoked green wheat. Bulgur or farro would have worked too. The fish was absolutely delicious over the smoky freekeh, which soaked up the sauce.
Because the fish was sticking to the pan, I decided to sear it on one side only, knowing that after I added the liquid it would release. I covered the pan with a lid to help the fish cook through after I had added the vegetables and some water to help make the sauce. See that delicious sauce bubbling at the edges? I forgot to mention I also bought the corn already roasted from the farm stand. I can never resist that smell!
You’ll need to use a cast-iron pan to cook over a fire in this way, and ideally one that’s enameled inside so you don't have to worry about the tomatoes or wine reacting with raw cast iron. I use this one from Staub, and either 10-inch or 12-inch should work. If you don’t have this pan in your kitchen, I highly recommend making the investment!
I hope you’ll try this highly riffable way to make a one-pot fish dinner. Please let me know if you do!
Here’s the no recipe recipe:
One Pot Fish on the Grill
Serves 4
Season 4 thick, meaty fish filets with salt and pepper.
Slather them in pesto (this much can be done ahead of time).
Heat a gas grill to medium-high.
Let the pan heat up for a few minutes on the closed grill.
Drizzle some oil into the pan and add the fish.
Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the fish is seared on one side.
Peel some plum tomatoes (2 to 3) and season with salt and some red wine vinegar.
Without turning the fish, add some green beans and the tomatoes (plus some fresh hot chile if you like).
Add about ¼ cup white wine or water, and cover the pan with a heatproof lid.
Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through.
Let rest for a few minutes off the heat. Turn the fish so the seared side is up and spoon some of the sauce over top.
Serve from the pan over some cooked grain or rice with some fresh herbs showered over the top. I used basil and shiso.
More end of summer, start of fall recipes
Here are some recipes that will ease you into fall while still making use of summer’s bounty, which is going strong (even if we are pulling out the sweaters!) These recipes are usually behind the paywall, but I’m unlocking them for one week. Download them or print them out if you want them, and please consider becoming a paid subscriber if you like what you see. It’s getting harder and harder to be a writer on Substack because of all the competition. You can help keep the lights on here, and help me to continue to publish this newsletter for you. Show your support by clicking here!
Creamiest Creamed Corn
This recipe is one of my favorite uses for peak season corn. Rather than relying on cream, as is traditional, it gets its luxurious texture from a simple technique: you just puree a portion of the corn and add it back into the pan.
Baked Sungold Pasta
This is the ultimate recipe for simultaneously taking advantage of those fleeting end-of-summer veggies while also easing into the cozy new season. It’s simple, delicious, and comforting, the perfect meal for these getting-chilly evenings.
A highly opinionated guide to preserving summer
These are some of my favorite techniques for preserving my favorite and most summery items, so I can use them to brighten up my cooking once winter rolls around. I’m not a big canner or pickler, so I rely on my freezer to get the job done—but I’ve got some tips and tricks for how best to do so.
Making the most with what you have is right up my alley. That looks so good– and healthy too, Susan!
I love all your recipes Susan. I bought your cookbook a few months back and you cook like I do which makes it the perfect companion to my, 'What needs to be eaten today?' dinner plans.