Four chefs' hook on fish

If fish isn’t your thing, read no further. For this article, Diversions challenged four area chefs to get in the spring of things. The challenge was to use at least one locally caught fish and seasonal produce to create a fresh new dish that you, our readers, can prepare at home.

Local fish tacos with grilled pineapple salsa (serves one)

Created by Chef Peter Arpke
Eat Here Sarasota, 1888 Main St., 365-8700

Grilled pineapple salsa
Ingredients:
3 to 4 fresh pineapple rings
1 tbsp. finely diced shallots
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. cilantro
½ oz. madeira
 
Method:
salt and pepper pineapple rings and mark them on the grill. Then dice them.
Combine all the ingredients

Fish
Ingredients:
1 to 2 filets mahi, swordfish or cobia per taco

Method:
Lightly season fish with Cajun spice blend (about 2 oz. per taco).
Sear fish.
Place it on warmed taco, spoon salsa and garnish with a green onion.

Gulf Mahi Mahi with artichokes en bariguole, local tomato-infused pearled barley and an asparagus and spring-pea-basil pesto (serves four)

Created by Executive Chef Benjamin Rottkamp
Crab & Fin, 420 St. Armands Circle, 388-3964

Local tomato-infused pearled barley
Ingredients:
1 cup pearled barley
1 Spanish onion, diced
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups cream
2 cups chicken stock
1 ripe local tomato, diced
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped

Method:
Sweat onion in olive oil until tender, and sweat garlic until golden brown.
Add cream and stock and bring to a boil.
Add barley and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender (about 45 minutes).
Add fresh chopped tomato and basil, taste and adapt seasoning if needed and reserve.

Artichokes en barigoule
Ingredients:
2 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
1 leek washed, sliced and blanched
1 stick of unsalted butter
½ cup white wine
bouquet of bay leaf and fresh thyme
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked artichokes

Method:
In a pan, add carrots, wine, stock butter and herb bouquet and cook until carrots are tender.
Add cooked artichokes and blanched leeks. Season to taste.

Spring pea basil pesto
Ingredients:
2 cups blanched peas
¼ bunch fresh basil leaves
¼ cup toasted almonds
1 tbsp. roasted garlic
1 cup cream

Method:
Puree ingredients together in a processor and season to taste

Asparagus and Mahi Mahi
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus blanched
4 6 to 8 oz. Mahi Mahi steaks well-seasoned with kosher salt and fresh black pepper
2 oz. olive oil

Method:
Pre-heat oven 350 degrees with convection fan on.
Place a sauté pan on stovetop with olive oil in pan and allow pan to get smoking hot.
Carefully place fish in oil and sear until golden brown.
Turn fish with spatula and place pan in oven allowing fish to cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
Plate fish adding blanched asparagus to fish pan and lightly roast it.

Pan-seared grouper lettuce wraps with apricot salsa, avocado mignonette and Carribean slaw (serves four)

Created by Chef Pedro Flores
The Table Creekside, Restaurant and Lounge, 5365 S. Tamiami Trail, 921-9465

Caribbean slaw
Ingredients:
½ head of shaved red cabbage
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspooon Sriracha
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ cup shaved Bermuda onion
2 tbsp. pineapple juice

Method:
In a large mixing bowl add and toss all ingredients. Let sit in refrigerator for approximately 5 minutes.

Apricot salsa
Ingredients:
3 chopped apricots
1 tbsp. basil
1 diced scallion
½ lime, juiced
1 pinch kosher salt

Method:
Mix all ingredients. Let sit in refrigerator approximately 5 minutes.

Grouper
Ingredients:
2 filets grouper
Olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste

Method:
Pan sear grouper with kosher salt and olive oil.
Cut into strips and place in bib lettuce. Add slaw and salsa.

Chef Rigo’s Rosemary Snapper with panko-fried grouper cheeks, artichoke potatoes, and cooked vegetable medley (serves one)

Created by Chef Rigoberto Vera
Walt’s Fish Market, Restaurant and Chickee Bar, 4144 S. Tamiami Trail, 921-4605

Snapper and grouper cheeks
Ingredients:
1 whole snapper (1 to 1.5 lbs)
3 grouper cheeks (.25 lbs)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup olive oil
½ cup rosemary, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced

Method:
Remove (or if you get your fish from Walt’s have them remove) stomach, scales, gills and score the fish.
Combine rosemary, parsley, garlic, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and olive oil together in a bowl and whisk together. Season fish with 1/2 of the mixture and reserve the rest.
Pre-heat grill over medium-high and oven to broil. When grill is preheated place fish and cook evenly for 2 minutes on each side.
Finish the fish in the oven for approximately 8 minutes. When it’s finished, drizzle ¼ rosemary olive oil on top.
Dip cheeks in egg wash, then into flour and again into egg wash.
Toss grouper into panko bread crumbs and fry in a pan (or deep fry).
 
Artichoke potatoes
Ingredients:
1 cup red potatoes
1 cup artichoke hearts
1 scallion, chopped
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to desired liking

Method:
Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low and cover and simmer until tender for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the water.
While potatoes are cooking, puree the artichokes with heavy cream.
Place drained potatoes in mixing bowl and mash until smooth. Stir in softened butter, scallion and artichoke puree until butter has melted. Season to taste.

Vegetables
Ingredients:
¼ cup broccoli
¼ cup spinach
¼ cup carrot
¼ cup asparagus

Method:
Place two cups of water in pot and bring to a boil. Boil all vegetables until tender; drain.
Heat cooking pan to medium high with ¼ rosemary olive oil. Cook vegetables for 1 minute.