Pesce Per Due Recipes

Steps:

• In a large saute pan (approximately 16-inches), add oil, garlic, and shallots. Saute until garlic and shallots are a very light golden color. Add all the fish to pan along with the wine, water, tomatoes, thyme, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cover pan and let simmer until clams and mussels open, approximately 20 minutes. Add parsley and basil and divide evenly into 4 soup bowls.
• At Peasant, Frank floats crostini (toasted bread rubbed with olive oil, garlic, Parmigano, oregano, salt and pepper) on top of each serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a bowl, combine the sea salt and the egg whites and mix well. The mixture should feel like wet sand.
• Rinse and pat fish dry. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the rosemary, parsley stems, garlic, and lemon slices.
• Sprinkle baking tray with sea salt. Trim a piece of parchment paper in the shape of the branzino, making the paper 1 inch larger all around than the fish. Place the fish on the parchment-lined tray and cover with the salt mixture, packing down tightly.
• Place the tray in the oven and cook for 17 to 19 minutes. (When done, the salt should be golden brown around the edges.)

Steps:

• Make soup: Rinse squid under cold running water and pat dry.
• If squid are large, halve ring of tentacles, then cut longer tentacles crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
• Pull off flaps from squid bodies and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bodies crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.
• Pat shrimp dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear shrimp in 2 batches, turning over once, until golden but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch.
• Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano to pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds.
• Add wine and 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Stir in clams and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 6 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened clams after 8 minutes.)
• Stir in mussels and cook, covered, over moderately high heat until shells open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring as opened with a slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp. (Discard any unopened mussels after 6 minutes.)
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F
• Add stock to pot along with remaining 4 cups water, tomatoes with juice, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Make toasts while stock simmers: Arrange bread slices in 1 layer on a baking sheet, then drizzle with oil and season with salt.
• Bake, turning over once, until golden, about 10 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool slightly, then rub lightly with cut sides of garlic and sprinkle with parsley.
• Finish soup: Add halibut to stock and cook at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in squid and reserved shellfish, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in basil and parsley and serve immediately, with toasts alongside for dipping.

Steps:

• In a large skillet with high sides, combine the olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes. Set over medium-low and cook, swirling occasionally, until sizzling and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add 2 1/2 cups water, the tomatoes and 2 teaspoons salt to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high, then cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the tomatoes are softened and the water is bright red and tastes like tomato, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Pat the fish dry and season with salt. Lay the fish into the tomato water, cover and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily, 4 to 8 minutes.
• Taste the water and adjust seasonings with salt and red-pepper flakes. If the liquid has reduced so much that it resembles sauce, add a little water until it looks like tomatoes suspended in red-tinted water. Serve the fish and tomato water in shallow bowls, with a drizzle of olive oil and bread for dunking.