Fluke in Lemon Brodetto With Scallops and Squash

Name: Fluke in Lemon Brodetto With Scallops and Squash
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 2 thin-skinned lemons; 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 heaping teaspoon fresh oregano leaves; 1 heaping teaspoon fresh marjoram leaves; 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or low-sodium; 1 cup dry white wine; 8 medium-size scallops; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed, approximately 1/2 pound; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves; 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, enough to flood your pan; 1 pound fluke, cut into four equal portions; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 tablespoon finely milled flour, like Wondra, or all-purpose flour; 2 scallions, thinly sliced

By Sam Sifton

Total Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 4(89)
Notes: Read community notes

“The Babbo Cookbook,” by Mario Batali, was published in 2002. Within two years I had made every recipe in it at least once, and by 2005 or so I was adapting the dishes to the ingredients I found at the market, instead of the other way around. Take the restaurant’s black bass served in a lemony capon stock with Hubbard squash and delicate shell-on bay scallops from Taylor Shellfish Farms, in Washington State. There is no need to make the dish with black bass, Hubbard squash or Taylor bay scallops, much less capon broth. I use use fluke but any firm-fleshed white fish will do. Hubbard squash is a dream, but butternut squash works beautifully in its stead. As does chicken stock instead of the capon. And swapping out the farmed bay scallops for the deeper salinity of wild ones, or for small ocean scallops, is no crime. The most important thing is to locate thin-skinned lemons for the brodetto, since the thick ones impart a bitterness to the sauce that is not magical. If all you have is thick-skinned lemons, take a moment to cut out the white pith beneath the skin, which is the bitter culprit.

Featured in: Cooking Like Mario Batali, With Fluke, Scallops and Squash

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings.

For the Brodetto

2thin-skinned lemons
1heaping teaspoon kosher salt
½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1heaping teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1heaping teaspoon fresh marjoram leaves
2cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or low-sodium
1cup dry white wine
8medium-size scallops

For the Squash

2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1small butternut squash, peeled and cubed, approximately ½ pound
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves

For the Fluke

¼ to ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil, enough to flood your pan
1pound fluke, cut into four equal portions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1tablespoon finely milled flour, like Wondra, or all-purpose flour
2scallions, thinly sliced

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
For the brodetto, cut the lemons in half and then into quarters, deseeding them as you go. Put them into the bowl of a food processor with the salt, pepper and sugar, and pulse to combine. You want them broken down but not completely puréed. Drizzle the olive oil into the mixture slowly, pulsing to emulsify the jam. Blend in the oregano and marjoram leaves.
Step 2
In a small pot set over medium heat, combine the chicken stock and wine. When it begins to simmer, add the lemon-oregano jam, and stir to combine. Lower heat, and keep warm.
Step 3
For the butternut squash, place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and swirl in the olive oil. When it begins to shimmer, add the squash, salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned, crisp and tender, approximately 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the marjoram leaves and set aside in a warm place.
Step 4
For the fluke, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat until it is nearly smoking. Meanwhile, season the fluke with salt and pepper, and dust one side of each fillet with flour. Cook the fillets flour-side down for approximately 4 minutes, until the skin is nicely crisp and brown and about ¾ of the way cooked. Carefully turn the fillets with a wide spatula, and cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, until done. Remove from the oil, and drain quickly on paper towel.
Step 5
Meanwhile, turn the heat under the brodetto to high, and add the scallops to the liquid to heat through, approximately 2 minutes. Divide the scallops among four warmed bowls.
Step 6
Assemble the dishes. To the scallops add ¼ of the squash and equal amounts of brodetto, and top with a fluke fillet. Sprinkle with the scallions, and serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

89 user ratings

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Anthony3 months ago

Used Bouillon cubes and an unknown variety of lemon—completely peeled—from the fruit stand. Probably don't need to make homemade stock, as the lemon jam dominates, but my bouillon is pretty high quality. Had trouble with flipping the fish, as my filets were quite thin, unsure if that would have been easier with more flour or with less (but once it's in the bowl with the brodetto, who cares?) Served with homemade focaccia!

liz5 months ago

This is one of the best recipe's from the New York Times I have cooked. I have cooked a lot.

Renard1 year ago

This is outstanding. Next level

AFierro3 years ago

Delicious, delicate sweet lemon sauce. I peeled the lemons thinly, discarding all the pith. I would agree with those who said that the scallops should be seared rather than boiled in the sauce. Have a beautiful sourdough baguette nearby

Fran G3 years ago

We loved this recipe. I used Meyer Lemons which imparted a perfect flavor without any bitterness. We do not eat Shellfish, so no scallops. I added a quarter cup of chunky tomato sauce and served the fluke with pasta, carrots and green beans and the sauce which now showed just a hint of tomatoes. Superb!

CVL3 years ago

Delicious. Had to improvise (didn’t have lemons or other fresh citrus, but did have pure organic lemon juice, and used acorn squash). Served it over white rice with a bit of broth over everything. Topped w/scallions. Will make again with whole fruit. Delicious.

JP6 years ago

Can the brodetto and squash be cooked in advance?

Maura Nicolosi6 years ago

I really like this recipe and will make the following modifications next time: more squash, less lemon. I used home made stock I had and feel like this liquid gold was unappreciated in this recipe, and I will likely use store bought next time. I love scallops, and sliced them in half, and lightly browned them before I put them in the broth, but found they didn't absorb much flavor or add to the dish. I might try browning them a bit further next time.

Doug S.6 years ago

Used Hubbard squash. Used slightly more than the recipe called for and could have used even more. The fish I used was petrale sole was fine. Scallops were excellent, large, fresh Eastern. Used more Wondra and dredged one side of the fish. Used a Meyer lemon which I thought would be thinner-skinned but wasn't. Removed as much white pith as I could. Was afraid the dish would be bitter but, thanks to the sugar, squash and scallops, it wasn't. Makes way more brodetto than needed. Great

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