Featured Recipe
Sicilian Style Walleye Clams
By Kate
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Walleye filet seared in butter and oil; courgettes and fennel caramelized; clams steamed with white wine, capers, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic, chili flakes, and fresh parsley; roasted red pepper coulis base; finished with herb oil drizzle and crusty bread. Uses white fish, fresh shellfish, bright acidic notes, and pungent Mediterranean flavors. Techniques include emulsifying butter sauce, carefully timing clam opening, and maximizing flavor through reduction and seasoning. Substituted kalamata olives for black dried, used smoked paprika instead of chili for depth, and swapped zucchini for diced eggplant for earthiness. Aromatics build gradually. Serves two.
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Prep:
40 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Serves:
2 servings
seafood
Mediterranean
clams
walleye
summer recipes
Introduction
Midweek, quick but layered. You want briny clams bursting open alongside a firm white fish glazed in butter and olive oil. Think Sicilian vibes but tuning down sugar, adding smoky paprika instead of plain chili flakes; eggplant replaced zucchini, offering heavier earthiness to balance acidity. Roasting the peppers under high heat until skins blister gives a deep char and smoky aroma. That smell alone tells you the sauce will carry serious flavor. The clams steam fast once wine hits the pan but watch—overcook and they stiffen, ruin the tenderness. A light emulsion with butter finishes the sauce, a glossy finish that coats everything. Toasted rustic bread rounds it out perfectly. Salt, acidity, fat, smoke. Technique and timing locked. No fluff.
Ingredients
Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
- 4 large red bell peppers halved
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 250 g (9 oz) walleye fillet, skin removed, cut in two
- 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 small eggplant, diced
- 1 small fennel bulb, diced
- 120 g (3/4 cup) cherry tomatoes
- 20 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) capers, rinsed
- 20 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- 12 g (1/4 cup) fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 600 g (1 1/3 lbs) small clams, cleaned
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) dry white wine
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) roasted red pepper coulis
- 8 leaves fresh Italian parsley
- 4 slices rustic country bread, toasted
Walleye and Clams
Garnish
About the ingredients
Roasting peppers is the trickiest part—make sure the skin is blackened unevenly, not burnt hard. Use a covered container to steam skin loose—peeling is key. That oil emulsification step prevents a flat sauce, adding body and sheen. Kala olives replace dried black ones, offering a softer tang with less salt penalty; smoked paprika in place of chili flakes deepens flavor with subtle warmth rather than heat. Eggplant holds shape better under sauté and gives flavor depth where zucchini might turn mushy. Clams must be fresh and purged of sand—soaking in salted water for hours ahead is best practise. Dry white wine preferred, not cooking wine or sherry. Rustic bread toasted crisply stands up to dipping without falling apart immediately.
Method
Roasted Red Pepper Coulis
- Set oven rack centered; preheat broiler. Line baking tray with foil. Arrange pepper halves skin side up. Broil 13-17 minutes until skins blister and char dark. Remove from oven immediately. Cover with airtight container or plastic wrap to steam for 7-12 minutes, loosening skin for easy removal. Peel off blackened skins, discard seeds and ribs. Rough chop flesh.
- Place chopped roasted peppers in medium saucepan over medium heat with 25 ml olive oil. Cook stirring occasionally until edges stick lightly, about 9-12 minutes. Off heat, transfer to blender pitcher. Purée smooth. With blender running, drizzle in remaining 125 ml olive oil to emulsify. Salt to taste, hold refrigerated.
- Pat fish dry; season well on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat nonstick skillet over medium-low. Melt half butter with half olive oil (1 tbsp each) until foaming golden; avoid browning. Place fish, cook 4-5 minutes. Baste frequently with pan fat, flip gently. Internal flesh should turn opaque and flake gently. Add butter as needed. Remove fish to warm plate.
- In same pan with residual fat, raise heat to medium. Add diced eggplant and fennel. Sauté, undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir. Cook until slight golden patches appear, about 6-9 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add tomatoes, capers, kalamata olives, parsley, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and clams. Toss gently. Pour in white wine, bring to vigorous simmer. Cover and cook 3-6 minutes, checking frequently. Clams will open with audible pop; discard any closed after cooking.
- Stir in remaining butter off heat to create sheen and velvety sauce. Return fish to pan to gently warm, spoon shellfish and juices over fillets.
- In shallow bowls, spread a thick layer of red pepper coulis on bottom. Spoon clam mixture with juices over coulis, place fish atop. Scatter parsley leaves, drizzle with a splash of olive oil or reserved sauce. Serve with toasted rustic bread slices for dipping. Enjoy the melody of charred pepper sweetness, briny clams, and creamy fish balanced by the smoky paprika undertones.
Walleye and Clams
Plate Assembly
Technique Tips
Broiling peppers until charred is about watching, not timing—skin should bubble and blacken, not burn. Immediately cover to trap steam, making peeling effortless; skipping this means tears and ragged skin that ruins texture. Cook fish on moderate heat with shallow butter/oil until flesh flakes gently under light pressure, basting keeps it moist; avoid high heat which toughens fish quickly. Eggplant and fennel want separate active cooking time to render natural sugars and soften tissue before adding aromatics and clams. Throw clams in after veggies, pour wine, cover and listen for opening clams—this sound is your doneness gauge, no guesswork. Stir in butter last off heat; prevents butter solids from breaking sauce. Plate coulis first to avoid watery plates. Drizzle olive oil last for fresh grassy notes. Serve immediately with toasted bread for texture contrast.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Broiling peppers till blistered is key. Watch for dark char; don’t burn. Steam covered to peel easily; tough skins ruin texture. Roasted flavor is essential.
- 💡 When cooking fish, keep the heat moderate; basting in butter allows moisture to stay. Flip gently; if it flakes easily, it’s done. Watch browning, avoid tough texture.
- 💡 Eggplant cooks differently. Sauté alone for color first, then add aromatics. texture matters here. Wait for caramelization for deeper flavor. Don't rush it.
- 💡 Clams open when they’re done. Listen for that pop; if they're closed, toss them. Timing is everything here. Overcooked clams lose tenderness. Be careful.
- 💡 Finish the sauce off heat with butter. Creates a glossy finish—important for presentation. Plate the coulis first; it absorbs juices well and adds flavor.
