Chef Craig Deihl: Special Fish Specialist

If you are interested in trying local fish less commonly found on menus around town, may we suggest Cypress. The founding chef there, Craig Deihl is known for elegantly balanced daily specials of species his customers may not have tried. And, he’s not afraid of the obstacles—he doesn’t balk at the labor it takes to gut a 1 1/2 pound vermilion or a small 1 pound Almaco jack.

We found him breaking down an 800-pound steer in the top kitchen of Cypress, but he was happy to switch topics from beef to talk about his seafood preparations. “Certain
things like grouper are easy fish to cook, these other species of fish revolve around needing a more inventive way to of cooking.” We had a deliciously handled tile fish which was soft, buttery and sweet. “Tile fish doesn’t have a lot of fat content, so it can be served with fresh fatty things–—like creamy potatoes.” Smaller fish (like the jack or vermilion) Craig often serves with skin on, “it doesn’t need to need to cook long to sear out the skin really well and get it nice and crispy. Then we just barely flip it over and it’s done.” An insider’s recommendatio:, if you are there when black bass is the special, that’s Chef Deihl’s favorite “it’s just so sweet,” he says. ~ Capers White

Pan-roasted tile fish with English pea and potato risotto, grilled spring Vidalia bulbs, and green onion puree was Chef Diehl’s special the night we arrived.

Seared Perfection

by dino copses

To sear a filet of fish you need a well-seasoned, heavy duty, French steel pan. (See “Chef’s Secret”.) Searing or browning, also know as the Maillard reaction, caramelizes the natural sugars and proteins on the surface of the fish (or meat) and gives it more profound flavor. You also need a good exhaust fan or some open windows in the kitchen as high heat cooking can produce a lot of smoke. Preheat oven to 500 F. Pat filets with a paper towel just prior to frying to ensure they are dry. Salt and pepper them at the last minute. If there is any moisture on the filets they will not brown, they will steam instead. Place oil in skillet and heat over medium high heat until the oil ripples and is just about to smoke. Carefully place the filets in the pan, skin side down and fry undisturbed for approximately 2 minutes or until a nice golden crust forms on the underside. Flip filets and place in the hot oven for 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. To check for doneness, place a metal skewer in the center of the filet for 5 seconds, remove and gently touch tip to lower lip; if the tip is warm the filets are done. If the skewer tip is cold they need a couple more minutes. If the skewer if hot the fish is overdone.

CHEF’S SECRET

French steel pans are some of the oldest and most trusted pans in the French “batterie de cuisine” or culinary arsenal. At 2–3 mm thick, they withstand high heat, and create an excellent sear on fish and meats. When well-seasoned, they have a nonstick surface. Contrary to Teflon pans, steel pans will last forever and won’t leave flecks of nonstick-coating on your omelets. They are easy to take care of and usually cost under $40. I recommend an 11 or 12 inch pan for fish and meats.

Seared Peppered Tuna with Onion Confit & Roasted Tomato, Black Olive Tapenade

The menu at Hank’s is partially modeled after the beloved Charleston restaurant Henry’s which closed its doors in 1960s. On one half of the menu are classic old school dishes like fried seafood and curried shrimp. On the other are exceptional more modern dishes created by Le Bernardin trained chef Frank McMahon. Below is one of the more modern ones.

Serves 4

For Confit
4, 3 –4 oz portions of yellow fin tuna
10–12 Spanish onions very thinly sliced
6–8 oz extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves chopped garlic
2 oz chopped Rosemary and Thyme

For Tapenade:
6–8 ripe Roma tomatoes peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
Sherry wine vinegar
1 cup cured black olives (pitted) and roughly chopped
1 oz capers
2 oz extra virgin olive oil

For confit: Heat olive oil in a sauté pan to hot, but not smoking then add onions, garlic and herbs. Turn down to medium heat and cook uncovered 1–2 hours or until onions are well caramelized and a deep brown color.
For tapenade: Preheat oven to 220° Season the chopped tomatoes with salt, pepper and a dash of sherry vinegar then place in oven at 220° for 3-4 hours. When tomatoes are done remove from oven, place in bowl and add olive oil and chopped olives. Finish with capers, salt, pepper and a dash of lemon.
For fish: Season the fish with salt and pepper and sear on each side. Slice the tuna and serve with confit and tapenade.