Yes, fish can be autumnal, too. Fresh wild mushrooms and fennel pollen are the key ingredients in this elegant dish.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Oven-dried tomatoes:
Beans:
Fish:
Preparation
For oven-dried tomatoes:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 250°F. Cut each plum tomato in half lengthwise and place, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle tomatoes with oil, then sprinkle with chopped thyme, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Roast tomatoes until tender and dry-looking on top but still moist, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Cool on sheet. Do ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap; chill. Rewarm oven-dried tomatoes in microwave in 15-second intervals at low setting before using.
For beans:
Step 2
Place beans in medium bowl. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Let beans soak overnight. Place dried porcini mushrooms in another medium bowl. Add 2 cups boiling water. Soak until mushrooms are soft, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Drain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid. Chop mushrooms.
Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, onion, and carrot; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add 3 cups broth, wine, bay leaves, chopped sage, chopped porcini mushrooms, and reserved mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment behind. Drain beans; add beans to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until beans are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to keep beans just covered, about 2 hours. Season beans to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. Rewarm beans before continuing.
Step 4
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced wild mushrooms, garlic, and shallot; sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir mushrooms into beans. Keep mixture warm.
For fish:
Step 5
Preheat broiler. Grind dried porcini mushrooms to powder in spice grinder or food mill. Brush broiler pan with oil. Brush fish on both sides with oil; place on broiler pan, skin side down. Sprinkle each with salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground mushrooms, and 1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen (reserve any remaining ground mushrooms for another use).
Step 6
Broil fish, flesh side up, 4 inches from heat source until just opaque in center (do not turn), 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 7
Spoon 1 cup bean mixture into center of each plate. Top beans with tomato halves, then fish, flesh side up.
Step 8
*Available in the produce section of many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.
Step 9
**A spice extracted from wild fennel plants; available at specialty foods stores and from zingermans.com
