Name: Butter Roasted Fish With Leeks, Capers & Tarragon
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons dried tarragon (2 grams); 2½ teaspoons dried dill weed (2 grams); ½ teaspoon green peppercorns (1 gram); Finely grind the tarragon, dill, and peppercorns together.; 2 whole white fish (1 pound each), such as branzino, sea bass, dorade, or orata, gutted and scaled; Extra-virgin olive oil; Kosher salt; 2 large shallots, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise; 1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise; 2 cups leeks, thinly sliced; ½ cup capers; ½ cup salted butter, diced; Lemon wedges, for serving

The classic French combination of sweet leeks and salty capers comes together with plenty of butter in this treatment. Even in dried form, tarragon and dill deliver a fresh herbaceousness.

Butter Roasted Fish With Leeks, Capers & Tarragon

Lior Lev Sercarz, from "Mastering Spice" by Lior Lev Sercarz

Servings/Yield

4 to 6

Ingredients

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2 tablespoons dried tarragon (2 grams)
2½ teaspoons dried dill weed (2 grams)
½ teaspoon green peppercorns (1 gram)
Finely grind the tarragon, dill, and peppercorns together.

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2 whole white fish (1 pound each), such as branzino, sea bass, dorade, or orata, gutted and scaled
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2 large shallots, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups leeks, thinly sliced
½ cup capers
½ cup salted butter, diced
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Using a sharp knife, cut four or five 2-inch-long, 1⁄2-inch-deep slits on both sides of each fish. Drizzle and rub oil all over the fish to coat both sides. Sprinkle the spice blend all over the fish and inside their cavities.
Stuff some of the shallot, fennel, and leek inside the fish cavities. Put remaining vegetables in a small roasting pan, half sheet pan, or shallow baking dish. Generously drizzle with oil, season with salt, toss to coat, and spread in an even layer. Season the fish evenly with salt and place on top of the vegetables.
Scatter capers and butter, diced, all over the fish and vegetables.
Roast until the flesh is opaque (you can tell if the flesh is opaque by peeking into the slits) and the blade of a paring knife inserted into the thickest part and removed feels warm when you touch it to your lips, about 25 minutes. Let the fish rest for a few minutes, then serve with the vegetables and lemon wedges for squeezing over the fish.