Description
When Susan Fernald raved about this dish she had at Starlight Café in Nantucket I confess that, at first, I didn’t even understand what she meant by “gingersnap fluke.” And when I did, I thought it sounded downright weird. Boy was I wrong. The ginger, sweet, and acid deliciously offset one another. If you weren’t told what they were, you wouldn’t be able to place the flavors—but the results are excellent and really unique.
Ingredients
At a glance
Region
Main Ingredient
Cuisine
Cooking Method
Difficulty
5 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 20 cookies)
1/4 cup Japanese panko flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 ripe pears, peeled and diced (try Crowe Farm in Sandwich)
1 Tbsp honey
4Â Tbsp water
Vegetable oil for cooking
1 pound of local fluke or flounder filets
Methods/steps
1. Place gingersnaps in a food processor and pulse until they form small crumbs. Add the panko, and pulse until mixed thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the crumb mixture into a cookie sheet for breading the filets, and reserve.Â
3. Place the pears, honey, and water in a small sauce pan, covered over medium-low heat until the pear is soft—about 15 minutes. Put pears through a food mill or sieve them to a consistency slightly smoother than applesauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep the pear coulis warm.Â
4. Meanwhile dredge the fish in the crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs lightly onto the fish, if necessary. Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the fish, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for two minutes, monitoring heat to avoid burning the crust. Flip the filet and cook through. This usually takes only a minute or two.Â
5. Serve with a spoonful of the warm pear coulis.
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