Red Pepper Walleye

A whole baked walleye swimming in a roasted red pepper sauce makes for an interesting, colourful presentation—and it tastes absolutely great. Other white-fleshed fish such as bass, pike, lake trout and halibut also work well with this sauce.

• Serves: 4
• Course: Lunch, Dinner
• Wine: Sangria

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 fresh lemon
• 2 fresh tarragon leaves (or 2 tsp dried)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 2- to 3-pound whole walleye, gutted and scaled

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roast whole red peppers in oven, turning until entire skin is charred. Remove peppers from oven and place in a paper bag until cool. Remove skin, seeds and core, then chop.
2. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
3. Pulse peppers and garlic in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add juice and zest of lemon, tarragon and 2 tablespoons oil. Pulse until well blended.
4. Brush walleye with remaining oil. Sprinkle fish inside and out with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part of the fish.
5. Once the fish is cooked, drizzle a little sauce over top; put remaining sauce in a gravy boat. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and wilted spinach or beet greens.