Seafood … just the thought of it makes my mouth water. I love all kinds of fish and seafood, except scallops which I will only eat if I prepare them myself, weird but true. But I am also an adventurous person, and one of the things I love to do is go fishing. Whether it’s fishing on the boat or offshore it’s just relaxing, period. And since there are so many different types of fish to choose from, it could only mean a ton of recipe choices. While in the fish section of the market I noticed a fish called Artic char. What caught my eye was  the beautiful color of the fish, and the fact that it resembled salmon. So I decided to learn a little more about this fish before it ended up on the menu.

Like salmon, Arctic char is packed with heart-healthy oils and melt-in -your-mouth flavor, and it is similar in taste to its cousins trout and salmon. It is both a freshwater and saltwater fish and it belongs to the salmon family. But I was thinking, “Why is it so damn expensive?” ($21 a Lb). Well according to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Artic char is becoming a fish of choice in restaurants as of late. So with that said, I felt I had to try this fish that resembles salmon so much. I must say it was very flavorful but mild, and just as advertised it was a cross between trout and salmon. To accompany the delicate flavor I made a simple lemon and caper butter sauce, and served it all up with parmesan roasted asparagus and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Overall, it was  delicious and I enjoyed it. I will most likely add Artic char to my seafood diet in the near future. Bon Appetit!

Wonderfully colored fish

For the fish:

4 Artic char filets(6 ounces each)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Set a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. When a drop of water skitters on the surface, after about 3 minutes, add the oil. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly and heat until the oil is almost smoking, about 30 seconds. Season the char with the salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin side up. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the char, lower the heat to moderate and sear until just cooked, 3 to 4 minutes longer.

For the lemon caper sauce:

2 tsp capers, drained and rinsed
4 Tbs butter
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

In a small skillet, melt butter then add garlic, lemon juice, zest, and capers. Simmer over low heat for about 30 seconds. Stir in parsley. Remove from heat. Drizzle over fish and enjoy!

Artic Char with Lemon Caper Sauce

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