food & dining
Dinner Is Served: Tilefish with
Lemon-Olive Topping
KERI WHITE | SPECIAL TO THE JE
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
T Tilefish with Lemon-Olive Topping
Serves 4
I am a huge fan of lemon. This puts
me in the minority in my household,
who prefer to limit their consumption
of the citrus fruit to lemonade and
the occasional dessert. But as I am
the chief cook, the rest of the crew
has to tolerate my preferences in
some measure.

If you are like my nearest and dear-
est and prefer that lemon be subtle
at best, simply reduce the amount of
lemon used here; instead of the whole
thing, drop in a half. Or squeeze the
juice and grate a bit of zest into the
mixture and discard the rinds.

4 tilefish fillets (or the fish of your
preference) ⅔ cup black, pitted oil-cured olives
with oil
1 whole lemon, cut in half
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano or 1
teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons honey
Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Salt if desired (Note: Olives are
salty, so if you are watching your
sodium, you can omit)
Spray oil for pan
In a blender, mix the olives, lemon
halves, oregano, pepper, honey
and salt, if using. Puree until fairly
smooth. If the mixture is very thick,
you can add a bit of olive oil or water.

Heat your oven to 300 degrees F.

Spray the bottom of a baking dish
with a cover to lightly coat it with oil.

Place the fish in the pan, and spoon
a light coating of the olive mixture on
each fillet.

Cover the pan, and bake the fish for
25-30 minutes until cooked through.

The fish is done when it flakes easily
and it is opaque throughout with no
translucency. of red bliss and fingerling is nice)
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup chopped red onion
Place the potatoes in a large pot of
salted water. Bring it to a boil, cover
and continue cooking until the pota-
toes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain well, and allow the potatoes to
air dry for a few minutes.

Place the warm potatoes in a large
bowl, and sprinkle them with 1 table-
spoon of vinegar. Toss the potatoes
and vinegar.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl,
mix the oil, remaining vinegar, mus-
tard, oil, onions, salt and pepper. Pour
it over the potatoes, and then add the
herbs. Toss to coat, and let it sit for a
while to allow the flavors to blend. Add
more salt and pepper, if needed. JE
Mustard-herb Potato Salad
Serves 4
Esther made this to accompany
grilled chicken during her recent
visit. It was delicious, and she used
a bunch of different types and col-
ors of baby potatoes, which added
visual appeal to the dish. If you don’t
have an assortment of spuds, just
use what you have, and cut them into
bite-sized pieces.

I was especially chuffed to supply
the herbs the recipe called for from
my garden — alas, they are the only
“crops” that have flourished.

JackF / AdobeStock
his dish was deceptively simple
— the topping had a decid-
edly Greek flair with the olives,
lemon and fresh oregano and, although
we used local tilefish, it would comple-
ment any fish.

I could also see it as a delicious
topping for chicken or tofu. Strategic
cooks can whiz the topping together
in a blender and assemble the potato
salad ahead of time; when the dinner
hour approaches, putting the fish on a
tray with a schmear of the olive spread
is the work of a moment.

This potato salad was another benefit
delivered by my sister-in-law Esther.

The fact that the recipe is mayo-free is a
boon: It is healthier than the old-school
deli version; it can be served hot, warm,
at room temperature or chilled; and
the fresh herbs make for both delicious
flavor and pretty presentation.

Round out the menu with a simple
green salad or some steamed veggies.

1½ pounds baby potatoes (a combo
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