Eureka Black Cod

Salt and Herb Crust, Summer Squash, Cherry Tomato Passato, Castelvetrano Olives, Herb Salad, Zucchini Fritters

Chef Nick Kelly of AltoVino | San Francisco

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Adapted by StarChefs | october 2022

INGREDIENTS:

Salt and Herb Crust:
Yield: 15 servings
20 ounces parsley
2 ounces picked rosemary
2 ounces picked sage
4 cups coarse sea salt
4 cups kosher salt
10 cups all-purpose flour
1 to 1 ½ cups egg whites

 Cherry Tomato Passato:
Yield: 2 pints
1 pint cherry tomatoes, stem removed
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Salt
Black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

 Herb Salad:
Curly parsley leaves
Fennel fronds
Mint leaves
Basil leaves
Chervil leaves
Red veined sorrel leaves
Marigold petals
Chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

 Zucchini Fritters:
Yield: 15 servings
1 ½ pounds grated zucchini
Salt
1 large egg
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, grated
4 mint leaves, torn
Black pepper

 To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Neutral oil for frying
Extra virgin olive oil
One 6-ounce filet black cod
8 pieces summer squash
Salt
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
1 teaspoon capers
1 scallion, sliced
Lemon olive oil

METHOD:

For the Salt and Herb Crust:
In a food cutter or food processor, chop herbs until fine. While chopping on the lowest speed, slowly add salts, followed by flour. Gradually add egg whites and continue chopping until the mixture can come together when squeezed in your hand. Let rest for 30 minutes. Cut a sheet-tray-sized piece of parchment into eighths. Take a piece of dough and roll between 2 pieces of parchment. Trim so the dough matches the size of the parchment. Repeat until all the dough has been rolled and portioned out. Wrap each sheet in plastic. Refrigerate.

 For the Cherry Tomato Passato:
In a Vitamix blender, combine tomatoes and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Blend on high speed and stream in olive oil until emulsified. Transfer to a nonreactive container. Reserve at room temperature. 

 For the Herb Salad:
In a mixing bowl, toss to combine equal parts of all ingredients. Set aside.

 For the Zucchini Fritters:
In a bowl, season zucchini with salt. Press the salt into the zucchini. Transfer to a strainer and let drain 10 to 15 minutes. Wrap the zucchini in cheesecloth and squeeze to release as much liquid as possible. Place the strained zucchini in a mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix to combine. Set aside.

 To Assemble and Serve:
Heat oven to 450°F with the fan on. In a deep fryer or pot, heat neutral oil to 350°F. Lay 1 sheet Salt and Herb Crust on a baking sheet. Brush with extra virgin olive oil. Place black cod on top of the sheet, brush with more extra virgin olive oil, then top with a second Salt and Herb Crust sheet. Using your fingers, press firmly around the edges to seal the dough around the fish. Roast 6 minutes. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat extra virgin olive oil. Add summer squash and sauté until golden brown. Using a small spoon, drop 3 dollops of Zucchini Fritter mixture into the deep fryer or pot. Fry until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Lightly season with salt. On a warm, flat serving plate, drizzle 2 tablespoons Cherry Tomato Passato in a circle. Around the rim of the plate, arrange tomatoes, olives, capers, scallion, sautéed summer squash, and Zucchini Fritters. Sprinkle with Herb Salad. Tableside, remove black cod from the crust and place in the middle of the plate. Drizzle with lemon olive oil. 

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