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1
Coat a large saucepan with olive oil, add the onions, and bring to medium heat.
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2
Add a generous pinch of salt and the red pepper.
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3
Cook until the onions are soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes.
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4
Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
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5
Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup water; season with salt.
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6
Bring the mixture to a boil (BTB), reduce to a simmer (RTS), and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
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7
Taste it and make sure its delicious.
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8
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt; it should taste like the ocean.
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9
Add the cauliflower, let the water come back to a rolling boil, and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until its really soft and almost falling apart.
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10
Strain the cauliflower and add it to the tomato mixture.
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11
Cook everything for 20 to 30 minutes more, or until the cauliflower has completely broken up and the sauce clings to it.
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12
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
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13
Stir in the lemon zest, olives, and caperberries; remove from the heat and reserve.
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14
(This can all totally be done ahead of time, and while its really great when made to order, this dish actually gets better when made ahead.)
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15
Take the fish out of the fridge 10 to 15 minutes before youre ready to cook.
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16
Pat the skin dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt.
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17
Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil and bring it to high heat, almost smoking.
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18
Coat the UNDERNEATH of another smaller saute pan with olive oil.
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19
Place the fish fillets skin side down in the larger saute pan and gently place the other saute pan directly on top of the fish.
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20
The purpose of this is to gently press the skin of the fish onto the bottom of the larger pan to create a lovely, even, crispy skin.
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21
(The first thing fish skin wants to do is stick to the pan, and the first thing cooks want to do is move it.
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22
Resist the urge; it will unstick itself when its ready.
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23
This is where patience comes inif you try to move it before its ready, the fish skin will win every time.)
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24
After a couple minutes, remove the top saute pan to allow the steam to escape and the skin to get really crispy.
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25
As the fish cooks it turns from translucent to opaquethe idea is to cook the fish two-thirds of the way on the skin side and then flip it over for the last third of the cooking time.
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26
The rule for fish is 7 to 8 minutes per inch of thickness, a little less if you like your fish on the rare side.
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27
Reheat the cauliflower mixture if necessary.
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28
In a medium bowl, toss the parsley with the lemon juice, some salt, and a drizzle of finishing oil.
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29
Serve the fish nestled in a mound of the cauliflower and garnish with the parsley salad.
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30
Some of these rules apply only to whole fish, but if youre buying fillets, the smell and the impression tests still work.
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31
Whether its whole or a fillet, you want a piece of fish that looks healthy and fresh!
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32
Smell it.
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33
If it smells like what it is, you dont want it.
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34
Fish should smell like the ocean or nothing at all.
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35
Make an impression.
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36
Gently press with your finger somewhere on the body of the fish; if it springs back, its perfect.
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37
If you leave an impression, leave that fish alone.
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38
The eyes should be clear and bulging.
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39
If the eyes are sunken and cloudy, leave it at the store.
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40
The gills should be red and moist.
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41
If theyre beige and slimyick, yuck, gross.
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42
The fins and tail should be moist and pliable.
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43
If theyre dry and brittle, walk away.
