Sear Roasted Haddock with Horseradish Aioli
Ingredients
- For the lemon-zest breadcrumbs:
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs (from a rustic loaf)
- 1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the horseradish aïoli:
- 5 Tbs. mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. prepared horseradish
- 3/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the fish:
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 4 thick skinless haddock or cod fillets, about 6 oz. each
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, washed and dried
- 1 lemon
- About 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preparation
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Make the lemon-zest breadcrumbs: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden and crunchy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Stir in the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
- Make the horseradish aïoli: In a small bowl, mix the aïoli ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
- Sear-roast the fish: Heat the oil in a heavy 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. When the oil is shimmering hot, arrange the fillets evenly in the pan, skinned side up. Sear for about 2 minutes, without moving; then use a slotted metal spatula to lift a piece of fish and check the color. When the fillets are nicely browned, flip them and remove the pan from the heat.
- Spread the seared side of each fillet with some of the aïoli and then a layer of breadcrumbs. (You may or may not need all of the aïoli and crumbs.) Put the pan in the oven and roast until the fish is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
- While the fish is roasting, put the parsley leaves in a small bowl; cut the lemon in half and squeeze some juice from one half over the parsley, to taste. Drizzle the parsley with enough extra-virgin olive oil to lightly coat the leaves, season with salt and pepper, and toss. The parsley should taste bright and lemony. Cut the remaining lemon half into four wedges.
- When the fish is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the fillets to plates. Top each with some of the parsley salad and garnish with a lemon wedge.
