Marinated White Fish with Caramelized Onions and Pine Nuts
Serves 4

2 pounds whitefish fillet, skin on
Matzo meal for dredging
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for pan frying
1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
Small handful of coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 shallot, peeled and minced
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 head radicchio or butter lettuce
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

Remove the pin bones from the fish using tweezers, pliers, or your fingers  or ask your fishmonger to do it.  Cut the fish fillet crosswise into pieces about 1/1/2 inches wide.  Place the matzo meal in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil until hot but not smoking.  Lightly dust the fish with the seasoned meal, add to the pan, and fry until golden.  Carefully remove the fish from the skillet and arrange it in a non reactive baking pan of stainless, glass, or enamel.   

In a medium skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil and saute the onions over low heat until very tender and nearly caramelized.  Season the onions with salt and pepper to taste.  Arrange the onions and chopped parsley over the fish.    

To make the marinade, in a small bowl whisk together the remaining 1 cup of olive oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over the fish and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, and up to three days.

Separate the radicchio or butter lettuce head into individual leaves, and arrange on serving plates.  Lift the fish, topped with the onion mixture, out of the marinade and arrange on the lettuce leaves. 

Garnish with pine nuts. 

Recipe provided by Evan Kleiman