I was intrigued by Jenise's post regarding warming the tuna in oil and garlic and using that for a sauce for pasta. This probably doesn't deserve a separate post as an RCP but if I don't do it this way I won't be able to find it again. It was good enough to make again. As usual, what's in it has a lot to do with what's lying around in the cupboard.
1 good sized halibut filet
S&P
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
Olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 or 2 nice pieces lemon zest - chopped
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1 splash Pernod
1 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
10 oz fresh arugula (comes in 5 ounce packages here)
Juice of 1 lemon
grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon flour
More EVOO
1 lb linguini
Potfull of salted water
Slice the onions, dice the garlic. Heat some EVOO - maybe 2 - 3 tablespoons in a skillet and cook the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the tarragon, rosemary, lemon zest and cook for a couple of minutes until the kitchen smells fantastic. Mix 1 cup water with 1 cup wine and add a splash of Pernod. Salt and Pepper the fish and add to the onions/herbs and add enough water/wine to cover about 1/2 of the height of the fish. Save the rest of the liquid. Bring to a boil, turn the heat way down, cover, and poach for about 15 minutes. (I went 20 and it was too long). Remove the fish and cover. Strain the juices. Return to the skillet and add the rest of the wine/water/Pernod. Boil until about 1 cup is left. Remove from the heat into a bowl. Wipe out the skillet.
Meantime, boil the salted water and cook the linguine. While that's cooking, make a roux in your wiped out skillet with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour. Add the 1 cup reserved poaching liquid and cook and whisk until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat.
Just before the pasta is ready take out 1 cup of boiling water and reserve. Add the fish to the thickened poaching liquid and shred with a fork and heat gently.
Drain the pasta and return to the pasta pot. Add the arugula and reserved boiling water and toss until the arugula is wilted. Add the fish with the thickened poaching liquid and toss. Dump out onto a serving platter, sprinkle with lemon juice, chopped basil. Pass parmesan to serve.
I served this with a 2003 Lafouge Meursault. The wine was almost too acidic when I tasted it (OK drank a glass) while cooking but it abolutely sang with the pasta. Clearly the wine and pasta combined to form something greater than either by itself.