Orange Roughy

Here in Wisconsin, it is a rare occurrence to come across any fresh seafood other than the typical; salmon, cod, halibut, lake trout, shrimp and bay scallops. The majority of all other seafood can only be accessed as frozen, which highly compromises the taste. That's why, yesterday, while browsing through a local grocery store's fresh seafood department I noticed fresh orange roughy fillets and knew that I had to try them.

Orange roughy is a deep-sea dwelling fish that is delicate in taste and similar to cod in texture. Unfortunately, its buttery flavor and light texture have made it overly popular, as orange roughy are being over-fished to the point of underpopulation. Because they are deep-sea dwelling, bottom-trawling is the method in which they are fished for, which means that much of the sea-bottom ecosystem is destroyed in the process. That is why I ask you to be a responsible consumer and only eat orange roughy occasionally as an exotic treat.

Tonight my fiance and I made a dinner of prosciutto-wrapped orange roughy fillets topped with homemade pesto and panko breadcrumbs, complimented by butter-herb sauteed cabbage. Although it may sound complicated, it is actually a very easy dish to make at home. Keep in mind that any type of whitefish fillet may be substituted for the orange roughy.

Prosciutto-wrapped Orange Roughy Topped with Fresh Pesto and Panko

1 lb orange roughy fillets (2 fillets)
4 slices prosciutto

4 TB homemade basil pesto (store-bought will work)

2 TB panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Heat large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Coat with the olive oil.

3. While olive oil is heating, take 2 slices of prosciutto and overlap them, not stacking them but creating a wide bed for the fish. Take a fish fillet and roll it up with the two prosciutto slices. Repeat with second fillet.

4. When oil is hot, add fish seam-side down to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook about 3- 4 minutes. Flip and cook about 2 minutes.

6. While still in the frying pan, spread 2 TB of pesto on each fillet and top with 1 TB panko. Place

pan in oven and cook 5-7 minutes, until panko crumbs are lightly browned.

7. Pull from oven and plate, served with the side of your choice.

This is just one of the many ways to prepare and enjoy orange roughy. Feel free to experiment, as it is a very versatile fish that works with a variety of ingredients.