Arctic Char with Citrus Sauce

Christmas is just 11 days away now, and there is just one holiday party after the next- and we’ve been busy catering them all! This past weekend we had out biggest event yet, with over 450 people in Bel Aire. It went so well, and we just couldn’t be happier. Our mini mac and cheese muffins made an appearance, and were an absolute hit!

While we love indulging in our mini mac and cheese muffins and polenta fries, there comes a point when your body just craves something on the nice list. Arctic Char Filets with a Citrus Sauce is the perfect combination of flavors and nutrients to satisfy your craving for winter deliciousness, and your need for a light meal loaded with nutrients.

I always check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch to see what seafood is the best choice in terms of availability, season, and farming conditions. Arctic Char is the answer to the over-fishing of salmon. You can hardly tell the difference, and the silver flesh of the Arctic Char is covered in the most stunning pink dots.

Arctic Char Filet with Citrus Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4- 6 oz. filets arctic char, skin-on

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 small grapefruit, segments

1 tablespoon grapefruit juice

1 small orange (preferably Cara Cara), segments

1 tablespoon orange juice

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of white pepper

Salt to taste

Method:

Segment orange and grapefruit. The term in French is also called “supreme”. Cut off the top and bottom of the orange. Set the orange on bottom and cut off skin from top to bottom following the curve of the fruit. Cut out each segment, leaving the membrane in tact, catching the juice in a bowl. Set segments aside in a separate bowl. Repeat these steps with the grapefruit. Add lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. Whisk in olive oil to emulsify, add segments and set aside.

Heat a medium skillet on medium-high, salt filet, then add vegetable oil (extra virgin olive oil will burn, but regular olive oil is okay). A medium fat fish, like arctic char takes 10 minutes per inch to cook. Cook skin side down first. Visually measure the thickness of the fish to determine approximate total cooking time and divide that by two so you know how long to cook it on each side. Serve warm and drizzle sauce and segments over filet.