STURGEON WITH AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE

Prep time: 60 minutes

Active prep time: 60 minutes

Special equipment needed – Cast iron grill plate or pan

Special skills needed – None

Serves 4

With all the spice and a rich creamy sauce, this is a recipe that works even for people who don’t think they like fish.  It can be as spicy as you would like it to be.  The Latin flavors go well with a side of rice and beans, or for a healthier alternative, crank up the heat with some extra peppers and serve it with a cold cucumber salad to put out the flames.  This dish is full of huge flavors and for that you need an extremely robust fish.  There is really no perfect substitute for the sturgeon cooked this way.  Sturgeon is a very sturdy, meaty, full flavored fish.  It brings a fattiness that is unique and delicious.  A golden pompano might match the flavors, but be careful not to overcook it in the baking step.  Shark or cobia will work, although you would need to baste it in butter to keep it from drying out while baking.  Try to find a nice piece of farm raised sturgeon for the first time that you make this dish.  You will not be disappointed.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs sturgeon fillets

Spice rub:

2 Tablespoons oregano

1 Tablespoon salt

1 Tablespoon ground coriander

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon chili powder

Sauce:

1 cup dry white wine

1 large shallot

5 cloves garlic

Zest of 3 limes

Juice of 3 limes

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Avocado

1-5 Jalapenos

1 cup cilantro

1 stick of butter

Wash the fish and pat dry with paper towels.  Heat the cast iron griddle or pan over high heat.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together all of the ingredients for the spice rub.  Cover the fish on both sides with as much of the spice rub as possible.  Work it in with your fingers to really get it thoroughly coated.  Sear it for 3-5 minutes on each side.

NOTE: If your cast iron is well seasoned and oiled, it won’t need any oil at all for this step.  If not, use a small amount of olive oil or bacon grease.

It should sear long enough to get the spices good and fragrant and put a slight char on the meat.  After that, place the cast iron pan in the oven or transfer to a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

While the fish is grilling and baking, bring the white wine to a boil over high heat.  Rough chop the shallots and garlic and add to the wine.

Cook the garlic and shallots for 5 minutes until they become translucent, stirring occasionally.  Add the lime juice and zest and return to a boil.

Add the cream and simmer for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place the avocado, peppers, and butter in a blender.  After the sauce has cooled a bit, pour it into the blender and liquify it.

Once it is combined, add the cilantro.  You can thicken it with more avocado or thin it with more wine.  I like it to be about the consistency of sour cream, but you can make it more or less solid to your taste. The same idea goes for the peppers. I like my sauce to have a good heat to it, so I taste and decide along the way how many peppers I want to add to my sauce as I am blending.

Cut the fish into 4 portions, top with the sauce and serve.