The Ingredients
Carrot, garlic, dill, onion, white wine, escarole, any fish fillet (such as striped bass), lemon. Not pictured: olive oil, tomato paste.
Il Battuto
Chop the onion. Saute in olive oil on high heat until soft and turning color.
Carrot
Add the chopped carrot and continue to develop for a few minutes.
Garlic and Lemon Peel
When you have a soffritto made from the onion and carrot, add the chopped garlic and lemon peel. Saute briefly, just enough to evince their flavors.
Escarole
Coarsely chop the escarole. Add to pan with a sprinkle of salt and saute until wilted.
Tomato Paste
Add a squirt of tomato paste. Saute as you stir to incorporate into the sauce.
Fish
Add the fish, skin side down. Saute for a couple minutes to crisp up the skin.
Add some white wine, less than a cup, and stir things around a bit. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to gentle simmer and set the lid on slightly askew so steam can escape and sauce will reduce.
Cook until fish is almost cooked through. About 10 minutes, but check often.
Add dill (or other herbs you fancy) and gently break apart the fish fillet, turning over if necessary so the fish is cooked sufficiently. The fish will break apart further when tossing with pasta so don’t dismantle it so much that it will disintegrate. Remove lemon rind. Taste and correct for salt.
Ready to Eat
Toss with pasta and an additional splash of olive oil.
