Sand Dabs with Cherry Tomato–Caper Sauce, Romanesco Squash, Sweet Peppers and Fresh Cranberry Beans

Pan-Seared Sand Dabs

A very light flour coating protects the delicate flesh and helps the skin brown without burying the fish under a heavy crust.

Ingredients

• 8 small sand dabs, about 2½–3 pounds total, cleaned and headless, skin and tails intact
• ⅓ cup cassava flour, for a light dusting
• 3 tablespoons ghee, divided
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the fish thoroughly dry, including the cavities. Season with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with cassava flour and shake off all excess.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough ghee to coat the bottom, then lay in the fish dark-skin side down without crowding.
3. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the skin is lightly crisp and releases readily. Turn carefully with a wide fish spatula and cook another 1–3 minutes, depending on thickness.
4. The thickest flesh should be opaque, lift easily from the backbone and reach 145°F. Transfer to warm plates and repeat with the remaining fish, adding ghee as needed.

Notes

• Ask the fishmonger to clean the sand dabs and remove their heads and viscera. Serve on the bone, lifting the upper fillet away before removing the backbone to reach the lower fillet.
• If cooking in batches, hold briefly on a rack in a 200°F oven; prolonged holding dries these thin fish.

Cherry Tomato, Caper and Scallion Sauce

Briefly cooking the tomatoes preserves their fresh sweetness while releasing enough juice to carry the capers. Butter rounds out the lemon and brine without making the sauce heavy.

Ingredients

• 1 pound mixed red and orange cherry tomatoes, half halved and half left whole
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces, whites and greens separated
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• to taste fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, until softened but not browned.
2. Add the tomatoes, capers and water. Simmer for 4–6 minutes, stirring gently, until some tomatoes collapse while others remain intact.
3. Stir in the scallion greens and cook for 1 minute, until wilted but still green.
4. Lower the heat and swirl in the butter. Add the lemon juice and season with pepper and only as much salt as needed. Keep warm without boiling.

Notes

• The sauce should be juicy and spoonable, not reduced to a paste. Loosen with a splash of water if necessary.

Roasted Romanesco Squash and Jimmy Nardello Peppers

A hot oven browns the ridged squash and softens the thin-walled sweet peppers. A little vinegar at the end keeps the vegetables lively against the creamy beans.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds Romanesco summer squash, cut into ¾-inch rounds
• 12 Jimmy Nardello peppers, about 12 ounces, left whole
• 2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Dry the squash well and prick each pepper once with a knife tip.
2. Toss the squash and peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, using two sheets if needed to avoid crowding.
3. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until the squash has browned patches and tender centers and the peppers are slumped with blistered skins. Remove individual peppers early if they finish first.
4. Sprinkle with the vinegar while warm and taste for seasoning.

Notes

• Romanesco here means the ribbed summer squash, not Romanesco cauliflower. Costata Romanesco or another firm zucchini works well.

Olive Oil–Dressed Fresh Cranberry Beans

Fresh shelling beans cook to a creamy center without soaking. Keeping a little cooking liquid makes a moist base for the roasted vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 pound shelled fresh cranberry beans, from approximately 2½–3 pounds in their pods
• 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Put the shelled beans, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan. Add water to cover by 1 inch and the salt.
2. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook partially covered for 25–40 minutes, checking early and adding water as necessary to keep the beans submerged.
3. When the beans are creamy all the way through but still hold their shape, remove the bay leaf. Drain off excess liquid, reserving about ½ cup.
4. Fold in the olive oil, lemon juice and pepper. Add enough reserved liquid to leave the beans glossy and moist rather than soupy. Taste for salt and keep warm.

Notes

• Fresh cranberry beans lose their pink mottling as they cook; a pale tan finish is normal.
• Do not substitute dried beans on this timetable; dried beans require a substantially longer cooking time.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

A fast, hot sear gives the peppers blistered skins while leaving their interiors juicy—a small cook’s snack that also fits on the finished plate.

Ingredients

• 12 shishito peppers
• 2 teaspoons avocado oil
• ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Dry the peppers thoroughly. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil.
2. Add the peppers in a single layer. Cook for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally rather than constantly, until blistered in spots and softened.
3. Remove from the heat and toss with flaky salt and lemon juice. Serve immediately, leaving the stems uneaten.

Notes

• Most shishitos are mild, but an occasional pepper can be hot.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The beans and roasted vegetables tolerate a short hold; the fish should be the last substantial cooking task.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 450°F. Shell the beans and start their gentle simmer.
2. 0:15 — Cut the squash, prepare the sweet peppers and put them in the oven. Prepare the tomatoes, scallions and remaining sauce ingredients.
3. 0:30 — Make the tomato-caper sauce. Check the beans for tenderness and turn the roasting vegetables.
4. 0:40 — Finish and dress the beans. Remove the roasted vegetables when ready and keep warm. Blister the shishitos for a cook’s snack or reserve for the plates.
5. 0:45 — Dry, season and lightly dust the fish. Sear in batches while keeping the sauce warm over very low heat.
6. 1:00–1:05 — Adjust the sauce with lemon or water as needed and plate immediately.

Notes

• Allow extra time if the fresh beans are mature and take longer to soften.

Plating

Keeping the fish beside the bean-and-vegetable pile preserves its delicate texture while letting the beans collect the vegetable juices.

Instructions

1. Spoon a bed of warm cranberry beans onto one side of each warmed plate.
2. Arrange the browned squash and Jimmy Nardello peppers over the beans, leaving some beans visible.
3. Place the sand dabs alongside and spoon the tomato-caper sauce generously across their centers, leaving some skin and the tails exposed.
4. Add a few shishitos at the edge if they have not already been eaten.

Leftover Path

Separating the fish from the saucy vegetables makes reheating gentler and keeps the beans useful for another meal.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow airtight containers, keeping the fish separate from the beans, vegetables and sauce where practical.
2. Eat the fish within 1–2 days. Lift the flesh from the bones and reheat gently in the tomato-caper sauce just until hot; avoid prolonged simmering.
3. Use the beans and vegetables within 3–4 days. Rewarm with a splash of water, or serve at room temperature with fresh lemon and olive oil.
4. For another meal, fold the boneless fish and sauce through warm beans and chopped roasted peppers.