Seared Char Recipe
with Mushrooms, Spinach and White Wine Cream Sauce
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Ingredients
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Fish
Mushrooms & Spinach
White Wine Cream Sauce
Garnish (optional)
Method
Fish
- 1
Prepare fish
Pat char fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides and the skin lightly with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you heat the pan and prepare vegetables.
- 2
Sear fillets
Heat a large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron) over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. When butter foams and oil shimmers, place fillets skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for 15 seconds to ensure even contact. Cook skin-side down without moving until the skin is deeply golden and crisp, about 4–5 minutes depending on thickness. Flip carefully and cook on the flesh side 1–2 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches about 125–130°F for medium-rare to medium (or cook to your preferred doneness). Transfer fillets to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil.
Mushrooms & Spinach
- 3
Sauté aromatics
In the same skillet used for the fish, reduce heat to medium and add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter. Add the minced shallot and sauté 1–2 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 4
- 5
White Wine Cream Sauce
- 6
Deglaze pan
With the skillet over medium heat, add 3 tbsp dry white wine to the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half, 1–2 minutes.
- 7
Build sauce
Add 1/2 cup low-sodium stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, and 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 3–4 minutes.
- 8
Finish sauce
Reduce heat to low and whisk in 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter, one piece at a time, to give the sauce a glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin with up to 1–2 tbsp stock.
- 9
Combine and serve
Return the mushroom-spinach mixture to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Rewarm briefly 30–60 seconds. Spoon a portion of the mushroom and spinach cream sauce onto warm plates, place a seared char fillet on top, and drizzle additional sauce over the fish. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges if using. Serve immediately.
