By David Harbilas

Beurre blanc, literally “white butter” in French, is a simple sauce but one that is hard to do well.

It teaches a number of techniques, mostly how to make an emulsified sauce without breaking it, and it’s also very versatile.

Here a simple butter sauce is enriched with chopped, seeded tomato that has been stewed slightly to bring out the sweetness.

It’s served with a simple roast cod, though it could go equally well with chicken, pork, or shellfish.

Serves 2

• 2 cod filets, about 6 ounces each
• 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• ½ cup white wine Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

The Greeks have a traditional method of preparing fish called plaki, which is little more than roasting fish with slices of ripe tomato, onion, herbs, and white wine.

The idea is to let the fish cook with all the juices of the tomatoes and onions, creating of a sweet and tart entrée.

Here, most of the elements are eliminated, allowing one to combine flavors as one sees fit.

Add a few chopped herbs over the top, or perhaps in a salad; make a simple butter sauce or vinaigrette to moisten the fish a little further; or serve atop a stew of onions and potatoes.

However you look at it, this is a very simple method that can be made with a number of substitutions. If you don’t like olives, try diced, cooked mushrooms, zucchini, roast garlic, or even orange segments.

Serves 2

• 2 skinless cod filets, about ½ pound each
• 1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Guacamole is a familiar and oftentimes boring pairing to not only chips but also fish, chicken, and beef.

Here, a slightly different version, more a salsa than a traditional guacamole, is served with roast cod.

The method for roasting the tomatoes is the same as in a tomato tart: the tomatoes are seeded, filleted, and roasted slowly with olive oil.

Serves 4

• 3 ripe avocados
• 1 large red tomato, peeled and filleted
• ½ red onion, diced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

The French have many variations for hollandaise, and the familiar addition of tarragon is part of the ubiquitous béarnaise sauce.

This version is a bit different, as it calls for a rich reduction of roasted tomatoes and fresh chopped tarragon; a traditional béarnaise uses a reduction of vinegar, shallots and tarragon.

Tomatoes and fish are a natural combination, so the addition of butter and herbs are a clear choice.

Serves 2

for the roasted tomato puree:

• 1 vine-ripe tomato, not a plum variety
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

for the hollandaise:

• 4 egg yolks Read the rest of this entry »