Pan Seared Whitefish With Orange Caramelized Onions

ingredients

1 pound fresh white fish fillets*

1 large naval orange, zest and juice

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons orange olive oil

1 small white onion (cut in small dice)

1 small red onion (cut in small dice)

2 cloves garlic (grated on a microplane)

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

chopped cilantro for garnish

directions

Heat a large cast iron pan (strongly recommended), or a heavy bottom fry pan over med-high heat. Add 2 T orange olive oil and chopped onions. Cook about 1 minute then turn heat down to medium. Add butter, ginger, garlic, all but 1 t of the orange zest, orange juice, 1 1/4 t kosher salt and 1/2 t ground black pepper. Stirring frequently cook for about 12 more minutes or until onions are caramelized. They will be slightly "sticky" from the orange juice. When done, stir in the thyme. Taste for salt content and adjust if necessary. 

Remove from pan leaving the extra liquids in the pan. Do not turn off heat. Place in an oven proof dish in a 250 degrees F oven to keep warm. 

While the onions are cooking, pat fish fillets dry and salt and pepper both sides (even if you use fish with skin on). If your fillets are longer than the pan, cut to fit. 

Turn the heat up to med-high and add 1 more T orange olive oil. Place fish in single layer (if using skin on, then skin side down). Sprinkle rest of orange zest over fish and cook for 3 minutes on first side and 1 1/2 minutes on the other side. Depending on the thickness of your fish you may have to adjust the cooking times. Do not over cook. Fish should be glistening and opaque. 

To serve, remove fish, place on plate with the zested side up. Cover with the onion mixture and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. 

* use a thinner fish like tilapia, sole, walleye, etc., as this will be pan seared and cook quickly. I like to use ones with skin on. 

Cooks Notes: I had just come from the market where they had gotten in some beautiful Northern Pike. I was also at the end of a huge bag of oranges and thought it would be nice to marry the two. 

After working up the orange onion part (and eating half of it) I was so excited and cooked the fish. I sat down to try it and was met with a huge surprise. The fish had about 1 billion little bones in it. I went back and found some equally wonderful Lake Superior white Fish, re-did everything and finally got to eat it. This is a marriage that will last. The natural sugar in the orange juice mixed with the sweetness of the onions and then the fresh thyme makes almost like a savory jam. 

I also realized that it came together in about 30 minutes which means you can have a really fancy fish dish for the family without much time or effort. I hope your family likes it as much as mine.