Roasted Paiche with Cocoa Nibs Coating
Ingredients:
1 stick butter (4 ounces)
2 T. white wine vinegar
2 egg yolks
½ cacao nibs
1 T. orange zest
1 T. whole cloves
2 t. sea salt
2 t. black pepper
1-1.5 lbs. paiche fillets
1 T. olive oil
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until golden brown. Allow to cool to room
temperature. Once at room temperature, mix in vinegar and egg yolks. Whisk until emulsified. Hold the sauce
at room temperature until ready to use.
Place cocoa nibs, orange zest, cloves, salt and pepper in a small food processor and grind to uniform small
chunks.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut fish into desired serving sizes. Pat the spice mixture onto the tops of the fish
pieces. Heat a cast iron skillet with olive oil over high heat, then sear the bare sides of the fish for two
minutes. Then place the skillet with the fish into the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or desired doneness.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, sear the bare side of the fish in any skillet, then place the fish, bare side
down, in a preheated pan to continue baking in the oven. It is important to be sure the baking pan is hot
before putting the seared fish in it.
Serve fish on a bed of cooked rice or quinoa, then pour a strip of the butter sauce over the fish and its
foundation. Enjoy the unusual but absolutely delicious combination!