Summer Fish Supper with Rosemary Figs, Green Zucchini Soup and Blueberry Tart

Balsamic-Roasted Figs with Rosemary

Brief roasting concentrates the figs without collapsing them. Balsamic vinegar and rosemary keep the small opening course savory and aromatic.

Ingredients

• 4 large ripe but firm figs, halved lengthwise
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 small rosemary sprig
• 1 pinch flaky salt
• 4 small fresh rosemary tips, for presentation

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the figs cut-side up in a snug baking dish.
2. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey. Spoon over the figs, add the rosemary sprig and season lightly with salt.
3. Roast for 10–14 minutes, until glossy and softened but still holding their shape. Spoon the concentrated juices over the cut faces.
4. Serve two halves per person with a fresh rosemary tip, removing the cooked sprig.

Notes

• Use genuinely ripe figs; roasting will soften underripe fruit but will not fully develop its sweetness.

Chilled Zucchini-Basil Soup with Zucchini Ribbons

Briefly cooked zucchini blends into a silky soup without needing cream. Basil, lemon and finishing olive oil give it freshness and richness.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb small zucchini
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free vegetable stock, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
• to taste fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Shave eight thin ribbons from one zucchini with a vegetable peeler and refrigerate them. Slice all the remaining zucchini.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Sweat the shallot with a pinch of salt for 4 minutes without browning. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the sliced zucchini and stock. Cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes, just until tender and still green.
4. Blend until very smooth, adding the basil near the end. Add enough stock to make a thick but pourable soup.
5. Cool promptly in a bowl set over ice, then refrigerate until cold. Stir in the lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper.
6. Lightly dress the reserved ribbons with a few drops of lemon juice and salt. Ladle the soup into small bowls, add loosely folded ribbons and finish with the remaining olive oil.

Notes

• Cold soup needs assertive seasoning; taste again after chilling.
• For a smoother restaurant-style texture, pass the blended soup through a fine sieve.

Broiled Salmon Collars with Tamari and Ginger

Collars have enough fat and connective tissue to stay juicy under intense heat. A restrained tamari glaze browns quickly without obscuring the fish.

Ingredients

• 2 large salmon collars, about 1 1/2 lb total, each divided into two serving pieces by the fishmonger
• 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• 2 tsp avocado oil
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Pat the collars dry and check carefully for loose scales and bone fragments.
2. Mix the tamari, rice vinegar, honey and ginger. Coat the collars and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush with avocado oil. Arrange the collars with their broad flesh surfaces exposed; discard the marinade.
4. Roast for 10–14 minutes, then broil about 6 inches from the heat for 2–4 minutes, watching closely, until browned in patches.
5. Check the thickest flesh away from bone: it should reach 145°F and separate readily into moist flakes. Serve with lemon wedges and a small bowl for bones.

Notes

• Collars vary dramatically in size; temperature and easy release from the bone are better guides than the clock.

Sesame-Miso Eggplant

Roasting gives the eggplant a browned exterior and creamy center. A thin miso dressing and mixed sesame seeds add savory depth and crunch beneath the collar.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Japanese eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch rounds
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp gluten-free white miso
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp warm water
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 1 tsp toasted black sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the eggplant with avocado oil and arrange in one layer on a lined baking sheet.
2. Roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until browned and completely tender in the center.
3. Whisk the miso, vinegar, honey, warm water and sesame oil. Brush lightly over the eggplant and return to the oven for 3–5 minutes.
4. Scatter with both sesame seeds. Serve warm beneath the salmon collars.

Notes

• If the dressing tastes particularly salty, thin it with another teaspoon or two of water rather than applying a thick coating.

Crisp-Skinned Sea Bass with Lemon Pan Juices

Thoroughly dried skin and steady pan contact produce a crisp crust while protecting the delicate flesh. A small amount of lemony pan juice moistens the plate without softening the skin.

Ingredients

• 4 5 oz skin-on sea bass fillets, scaled and pin-boned
• to taste fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 cup water or gluten-free fish stock
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Pat the fish very dry. Place skin-side up, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Dry again and season just before cooking.
2. Heat the ghee in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Lay the fillets skin-side down, working in batches if necessary. Press gently with a fish spatula for the first 30–45 seconds to prevent curling.
3. Reduce to medium and cook for 6–9 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the flesh is mostly opaque up the sides. Turn and cook for another 1–3 minutes, depending on thickness, until the center reaches 145°F.
4. Transfer to warm plates skin-side up. Pour off excess fat, add the water or stock and simmer for 1 minute, scraping up golden—not burnt—bits.
5. Lower the heat and swirl in the butter and lemon juice. Taste for salt, then spoon a little sauce beside or beneath the fish, keeping the skin dry.

Notes

• Use a skillet large enough to leave space between the fillets; crowding traps steam and compromises the skin.

Warm Olive Oil White Beans

Large white beans make a creamy, substantial accompaniment without competing with the fish. Gentle warming keeps their skins intact.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked large white beans, such as butter beans or gigante beans, drained
• 1/3 cup bean cooking liquid or water
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• to taste fine salt

Instructions

1. Combine the beans, cooking liquid, olive oil, garlic and bay leaf in a small saucepan.
2. Warm over low heat for 8–10 minutes, gently shaking the pan rather than stirring vigorously.
3. Remove the garlic and bay leaf. Add lemon juice and salt, and serve with just enough liquid to leave the beans glossy.

Notes

• If using canned beans, rinse gently and use water in place of the packing liquid.

Green Beans and Fennel with Capers, Lemon and Parsley

Tender fennel and green beans form one warm medley, while capers, lemon and parsley cut through the richness of the fish and beans.

Ingredients

• 12 oz green beans, trimmed and halved if long
• 1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 small ripe tomato, diced
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp capers, drained
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the green beans for 3–4 minutes, until bright green and barely tender. Drain.
2. Heat the ghee in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and a pinch of salt; cook for 7–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened with a few golden edges.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the tomato, water and capers, cover and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Add the green beans and toss uncovered for 2–3 minutes, until tender but not mushy and the liquid lightly coats the vegetables.
5. Fold in the lemon juice and parsley off heat. Adjust salt and pepper and serve warm.

Fresh Blueberry Tart with Almond-Cassava Crust

A fully baked nut-rich crust stays crisp beneath a mostly fresh blueberry filling. Cooking only part of the fruit creates a light glaze while preserving the texture of whole berries.

Ingredients

• 180 g fine blanched almond flour
• 60 g cassava flour
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 70 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 40 g maple syrup, for the crust
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, divided
• 600 g fresh blueberries, washed and thoroughly dried, divided
• 3 tbsp maple syrup, for the filling
• 1/4 cup water, divided
• 2 tsp tapioca starch
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch glass pie dish.
2. Mix the almond flour, cassava flour and salt. Stir in the melted butter, 40 g maple syrup, egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to form a soft dough. Rest for 5 minutes.
3. Press evenly across the base and up the sides of the dish, making a defined rim. Prick the base lightly with a fork and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the base is dry and the edges are golden. Shield the rim with foil if it colors too quickly. Cool completely.
5. Place 150 g blueberries, 3 tablespoons maple syrup and 3 tablespoons water in a saucepan. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, crushing the berries to release their juice.
6. Mix the tapioca starch with the remaining tablespoon water. Stir into the bubbling berries and cook for 30–60 seconds, until glossy and thickened. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, zest and remaining vanilla.
7. Cool the glaze until lukewarm, then gently fold in the remaining 450 g blueberries. Spoon into the cooled shell and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the filling holds together when sliced.
8. Serve with the vanilla whipped cream.

Notes

• Makes one 9-inch tart, approximately 8 slices.
• Dry the fresh berries thoroughly so surface water does not dilute the glaze. This is a lightly bound fresh-fruit tart, not a firm jelly-set pie.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Lightly sweetened cream softens the tartness of the berries without covering their flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Whip the cream, maple syrup and vanilla in a chilled bowl until medium peaks form.
2. Keep refrigerated. Pipe a rosette in the center of the tart just before presenting it, or spoon onto individual slices.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The tart and soup can be completed ahead, leaving the oven and stovetop free for a relaxed progression of hot courses.

Instructions

1. 4 hours before serving: make and bake the tart shell. Prepare the blueberry filling, fill the cooled shell and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. 3 hours before serving: cook and blend the zucchini soup. Cool promptly over ice and refrigerate.
3. 60 minutes before serving: cut the eggplant, prepare the fennel medley ingredients and blanch the green beans. Set up the white beans in their saucepan.
4. 45 minutes before serving: dry and refrigerate the sea bass uncovered. Marinate the salmon collars for 20 minutes.
5. 30 minutes before serving: heat the oven to 425°F and roast the eggplant. Roast the figs alongside it for the final 10–14 minutes. Finish the eggplant with its miso dressing.
6. Serve the warm figs, followed by the chilled soup. Meanwhile, roast and broil the collars, then serve them over the warm eggplant.
7. During the collar course, warm the white beans and finish the fennel–green bean medley. Sear the sea bass immediately before serving the main course.
8. Whip the cream shortly before dessert, garnish the tart and cut with a sharp knife.

Notes

• The soup and tart can be made the day before. Add the soup's lemon juice and final seasoning on the day of serving.

Plating

Small, separate courses preserve the presentation and keep the rich fish preparations from competing on a single plate.

Instructions

1. Place two fig halves on each small plate, spoon their glaze into the cut centers and tuck a rosemary tip between them.
2. Serve the soup in shallow bowls with a few folded zucchini ribbons in the center and small drops of olive oil around them.
3. Arrange three or four eggplant rounds in each collar bowl. Rest a collar portion diagonally across them, leaving its fin visible and providing a separate bone dish.
4. For the main course, place the white beans at one side of a warm plate and the fennel–green bean medley at the other. Set the sea bass across the open space, skin-side up, with a little pan juice underneath.
5. Present the blueberry tart whole with its central cream rosette, then serve modest slices after the fish courses.

Leftover Path

Separate storage protects crisp textures and lets the fish, vegetables and dessert be reused without overcooking.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. Store fish, vegetables, beans, soup and dessert separately.
2. Remove the collar meat from the bones before storing. Use cooked fish within 2 days; gently reheat covered with a splash of water to 165°F, or serve cold flaked over the leftover beans and vegetables.
3. Keep the soup for up to 3 days and serve chilled after stirring and checking its seasoning.
4. Reheat the beans and vegetable medley with a splash of water until steaming. Warm eggplant in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
5. Refrigerate the tart for up to 3 days, keeping whipped cream separate where possible. The crust will soften gradually; serve slices cool rather than reheating the fresh-berry filling.
6. Use leftover roasted figs within 3 days, served cool or gently warmed.