Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California (19 page)

Lay a piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet. Spray the foil with vegetable oil cooking spray. Lay the fish in the center of the foil and cut two 2-inch diagonal slits on each side of each fish, taking care not to cut through the bone. Season the cavities with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together half of the lemon zest, the fennel fronds, and thyme. Divide the mixture in half and place in the cavities. Stuff the fish with the lemon and fennel slices, reserving 4 lemon slices to place on top. Scatter any remaining fennel and the cooked pancetta around the fish. Pour the wine over the fish and arrange
2 lemon slices on top of each. Lay another piece of foil on top and crimp the edges of both pieces of foil together to form a packet.

Roast the fish for 30 to 35 minutes, until the flesh is flaky and cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the top piece of foil. Transfer the fish to a cutting board. Remove the fennel and lemon slices and arrange on a platter. Pull back the skin from the fish. Using a sharp knife, separate the two top fillets from the backbone. Using a metal spatula, transfer the fillets to the platter. Lift the fish backbone from the bottom fillets (the backbone should come off easily) and discard. Using the spatula, transfer the two remaining fillets to the platter. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest before serving.

I love the look, flavor, and textures of this delicate and pretty dish. It’s a perfect way to spotlight the flavors of spring, when fava beans are in season. Other times of the year you can substitute frozen lima beans for the favas; either way the purée is bright from the mint and satisfies your starch cravings. Just be careful not to overcook the beans, as they can turn an unattractive gray. Red snapper, with its pinkish hue, is a quite flavorful white fish that works perfectly with the fava beans. Finish it off with a drizzle of really good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the beans. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the beans are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain the beans and reserve 1 cup of the broth. If using fava beans, when the beans are cool enough to handle, pop them out of their outer pods, discarding the pods. Combine the fava or lima beans and reserved broth in a blender or food processor. Add the mint and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until brown and the center is just opaque.

Divide the fava bean purée among 4 serving plates. Place a fillet of red snapper on top of the purée. Serve immediately.

Grilled Salmon with Citrus Salsa Verde

This is my favorite way to eat fish, with a very clean, fresh, and simple preparation. Agave is a natural sweetener from the blue agave plant in South America, and brushed on the salmon it creates a nice caramelized crust. Topped with salsa verde made of citrus zests and herbs, this dish is superlight and perfect on a hot summer day. Jade loves the grilled salmon, too!

For the salsa: Grate 2 tablespoons zest from the oranges and put it in a medium bowl. Peel and trim the ends from each orange with a sharp knife. Using a paring knife, cut along the membrane on both sides of each segment. Free the segments and place on a cutting board. Coarsely chop the segments and scoop them into the bowl with the orange zest. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, scallions, mint, capers, and red pepper flakes. Toss lightly and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the salmon: Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush the grilling rack with vegetable oil to keep the salmon from sticking.

Brush the salmon on both sides with the agave nectar and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until the fish flakes easily and is cooked to medium. Transfer the salmon to a platter and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Spoon the salsa verde on top of the salmon, or serve it on the side as an accompaniment.

If you’re in the mood for a light but filling dish, look no further. Halibut is low in fat but delicate, sweet, and flaky, and it embraces the flavors of most anything you pair it with. I like to marinate and then roast halibut before serving it on top of a colorful, warm spring salad of peas and mint. This is my kind of food.

For the fish: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour the mixture into a resealable plastic bag. Add the halibut and coat with the lemon mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a small rimmed baking sheet or glass baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Remove the halibut from the marinade and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes, until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through.

For the salad: Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the peas, 1 cup chopped mint, the lemon zest and thyme. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the salad onto 4 plates and top each with a halibut fillet. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped mint and serve.