Black Olive Encrusted Haddock
After tailgaiting for eight hours on Sunday in the rain and snow, I was ready for something light and healthy. I couldn’t even look at a piece of red meat or pork if you paid me. I picked up some super fresh Haddock from Yankee Lobster right off the dock and brought it home with the intention of creating a flavorful, yet delicate meal. I found some black olive paste in my fridge and I figured that I could impart that salty, briny flavor into the fish. I snipped the last bunch of fresh oregano out of my herb garden before it’s time for the rosemary to dominate the pot and used it to season the fish.
After a quick sear in a hot skillet, I spread the olive paste on the fish and finished it in the over with tons of lemon zest. I served the Haddock atop some roasted baby zucchini which I had never worked with before. Typically, I grill zucchini and I must say that the roasting brings out a completely different flavor. Baby portabellos were then sauteed and finished with some Balsamic glaze to add a little bit of sweetness to the dish; balancing out the salty olive paste perfectly. I paired this dish with one of my favorite Italian white wines; 2007 Antiono Caggiano Fiano de Avellino “Bechar”.
This white from Campania is medium bodied and super complex. It is full of acidity which makes it a great food wine, but it is also great on its own. To me, the nose smells like dried apricots and Pecorino cheese, but the wine tastes like apples, pineapples, and toasted hazlenuts. This wine is very complex and can be enjoyed with numerous different dishes. After all the Bud Light and pulled pork at the Patriots game, this wine and fish was just what I needed to bring myself back into balance.
