Merluza Recipe

Prep peppers

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Halve the baby sweet peppers lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Place halves on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss lightly to coat and arrange cut-side up.

Make filling

In a small bowl, combine 4 oz softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp ricotta, 2 tbsp grated Manchego or Parmesan, 1 tbsp chopped chives, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Mix until smooth and season to taste with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stuff and roast

Using a small spoon or piping bag, fill each pepper half with the cheese mixture. Roast in the preheated oven 10–12 minutes, until peppers are tender and filling is warm and slightly golden. Remove and keep warm at low oven temperature (about 200°F / 95°C).

Sweat aromatics

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Add 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/2 cup diced yellow onion, and 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5–6 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.

Build sauce

Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Sprinkle 1 tbsp flour over the vegetables and stir to incorporate, cooking 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Add 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/8 tsp cayenne, and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; stir to combine.

Simmer

Gradually add 1 cup fish or low-sodium chicken stock while whisking to avoid lumps. Add 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish sauce and add lobster

Stir in 1/4 cup heavy cream, 8 oz chopped cooked lobster meat, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Simmer gently 2–3 minutes just to heat the lobster through. Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep sauce warm on very low heat.

Season and dust

Pat the merluza fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (divide between fillets). Lightly dredge each fillet in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.

Pan-roast

Heat a large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. When oil is shimmering, place fillets skin-side down carefully (cook in batches if necessary). Press gently with a spatula for the first 20–30 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down 3–4 minutes until skin is crisp and edges opaque. Flip gently, add 2 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan, tilt pan and spoon hot butter over the fillets as they finish cooking 1.5–2 minutes more for a total cooked thickness of about 3/4" fillets (adjust time for thickness). Cook until fish reaches internal temperature ~125–130°F (51–54°C) for moist, flaky result.

Rest and finish

Transfer fillets to a warm plate and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them. Rest 1–2 minutes while finishing sauce and plating.

Divide warm lobster gumbo sauce between four warmed plates, making a shallow pool in the center of each plate.

Place one pan-roasted merluza fillet on top of the sauce in each plate, skin-side up for presentation. Spoon a little of the warm butter and pan juices over the fish.

Arrange 3–4 stuffed baby sweet pepper halves beside each fillet. Scatter microgreens or baby arugula lightly dressed with 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt flakes around the plate.

Finish with a light sprinkle of chopped parsley (reserved) and a small grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.