Spring has always been an exciting time for me. After four months of winter root vegetables, the farmer’s stocks are beginning to replenish with tender baby lettuces, pea shoots, spring onions, asparagus and spring mushrooms. Look for our hand made pastas and house smoked salmon as highlights of the spring menu. This recipe for skate is simple and a perfect example of items we hope to offer this season!
Sautéed skate wing with artichokes agro dolce
Serves 4
4 pieces 6 ounces each cleaned skated wing (skin and cartilage removed)
12 baby artichokes
1 lemon
8 cippolini onions, peeled
1 rib celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
1 pound fingerling potatoes, washed
2 ounces white wine vinegar
6 ounces white wine
1 ounces sugar in the raw
8 ounces jersey fresh san marzano canned tomatoes
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 sprig thyme, picked and finely chopped
1 lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Prepare a large bowl of cold water; squeeze the juice of one lemon into the water. Trim the dark green leaves from the artichokes with a paring knife. Place the trimmed artichokes into the water.
In a large sauce pot, brown onions in 4 ounces olive oil. Add celery and garlic. Season generously with salt and pepper. Continue cooking on low heat for 20 minutes. While onions are cooking, put the potatoes in a pot with salt and water and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain them; and cool at room temperature. Remove artichokes from the water and add to the onions and celery. Cook for a few minutes in the oil. Add the vinegar and reduce to half the liquid. Add the wine and the sugar and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and thyme and a little water if necessary to cover the artichokes. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes until the artichokes are very tender and the mixture begins to thicken. Taste; it should be only slightly sweet and gently sour. Adjust with more olive oil if too sour or lemon if too sweet. Keep warm.
Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and brown in some olive oil, finish with some sliced garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Dry the skate with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large pan sear the skate until nicely brown. Do them 1 or 2 at a time to get them crispy and golden brown.
Arrange the potatoes on the plates and top with the skate and spoon the artichokes on top. Drizzle olive oil around and squeeze fresh lemon over the fish.
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