Beetroot Kisses Char
Rediscovering and reinterpreting Bavarian sensuality
Char is extravagant. Char is sexy and char is easy to prepare.
I became friends with the char when I moved to the lake. Suddenly I was surrounded by 4 fish mongers and couldn`t resist the regional fish temptation for very long. Sympathy turned into passion.
In the beginning, I followed the mongers` recommendations and we got all hot and bothered by treats like „Forelle blau“ (poached trout) and grilled char…NOT!!!
Repetition bores me, so I started my own freshwater experiments. Char is very similar to salmon. A char, if well-fed, competes with salmon as far as flavor is concerned.
As soon as the first beetroots showed up after summer, I was overcome by the desire for char in a dark red coat.
Experiment no. 1 failed. Red puree choked the char, too dominant. However, I didn`t want to go without the red color, the char was deserving of an elegant escort. I boiled the earthy tubercle with a few ingredients and reduced the liquid. Boom, that was it!
White wine, stock and onion refine the taste of the sauce and the char can hold its own despite the escort.
Now just fry some chopped parsnip and ginger, spread it on the fish filet and then sprinkle it with the seductive sauce. Et voila, the erotic composition is finished!
Ingredients (serves 4):
4 filets of char
1 lemon
4-5- parsnips, according to size
4-5cm of ginger
Jasmine rice
olive oil, salt and pepper
For the sauce:
1 large beetroot or 2-3 small ones
100ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine
1 onion
1 small tomato
1 tsp honey
some butter, salt and pepper
20g cornstarch
Method:
Marinate the fish with lemon juice ad pepper. Peel the onion and chop the onion and the beetroot into cubes. Cook the onion in butter until translucent, the add the beetroot.
Deglaze with the stock and the wine and simmer for about 20 minutes until the beetroot is cooked. Transfer the red liquid into another pot, add the starch and bring to a boil. Simmer down until it thickens bit. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Boil the rice. Chop the parsnips and the ginger finely and sear them in butter. Fry the marinated fish filets in olive oil on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side. Dress the filets, spread the vegetables on top of them and sprinkle them with the red sauce. I used a pipette to get a more beautiful pattern.
Add some slices of lemon and some green leaves. Serve the rice and the beetroots with the fish and finished!
Have fun and bon appetit!
Your truly,
Christina
Our wine recommendation is from the Hacker wine store as usual:
Christine Hacker writes:
You love Christina`s bold fashion and her exceptional recipes? Then you are daring enough for my wine recommendation!
Does it always have to be white wine with fish?
I think a Pinot Noir will go sensationally well with char and a beetroot sauce and parsnips. Our pinot noir from the Hellmer winery from Lower Austria appears light and yet with an enormous array of aromas. That`s why it harmonizes perfectly with this dish which tastes fantastic.
This combination is elegant and erotic like a tango.
Be a daredevil!
Yours,
Christine Hacker
Sources:
If you don`t have a local fish monger, just order online!
Fish: Lachskontor – fresh fish online
Organic veggie box: Etepetete – who likes to eat the regular way – organic vegetables home delivery
PS: We advertise from the heart, not because we`re being paid for it!
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Thank you!
Yours truly,
Christina