WAHOO

Wahoo in Tomato-Basil Sauce with Smoked Sausage

Everyone was away this weekend, so dinner on Saturday was a solo effort. I take advantage of these occasional nights alone to make a slightly more extravagant dinner. Pollock is the fish of choice in our house. It’s cheap, tasty and versatile. But feeding one I could buy a more expensive fish. Wahoo, a firm fleshed fish that tastes like swordfish looked good. I got a 12 ounce filet and decided to use some smoked sausage I bought at an Amish market in Maryland and a basic basil tomato sauce I had prepared a few days earlier. The sauce was already reduced so this was a very quick meal. The fish was done about 15 minutes all told. And the tomatoes, cooked further down with the fish and sausage became caramelized and intense. Normally I would have paired rosemary or sage with sausage and tomatoes, or oregano. But the basil was in there and passed the smell test: I smelled the sausage and the sauce at the same time and the scent and flavor mingled together, danced and did not clash. I served it with pasta and steamed Swiss chard dressed with a little olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper.

For the sauce:

2 lbs ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped onion
2 T chopped garlic
4 T olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh basil, about ¼ cup

Sautee the onions over medium heat for a few minutes, until golden. Add garlic and stir. Add a pinch of salt and a few grind of pepper, turn the heat up and add the tomatoes. Cook until thick, about 25-30 minutes. Stir in the basil.

12 ounce wahoo filet or other firm fish (sword or marlin will do)
½ cup smoked sausage cubed
2 T olive oil

Heat oil in an iron skilled and brown the sausage. Set aside. Salt and pepper both sides of the fish and brown both sides. Follow the Canadian rule of 10 minutes per inch of fish. Note that the fish should be brown but not done. Add the sauce and sausage to the pan, and cook until just finished, taste for salt and pepper. The tomato sauce should be very thick, with the oil separated out

Swiss Chard

Sometimes I sauté garlic and cook the Swiss chard in that but I wanted something lighter. The chard came from the garden minutes before cooking. Wash it thoroughly, 3 or 4 stalks, cut into 1” pieces and steam until just tender, 4 minutes or so. Dress with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper.

I ate this with a very inexpensive Barbera. I mean, it’s a $7 bottle!