If you plan on staying in for dinner on Valentine’s Day, and you’re still on the fence as to what you want to make, look no further! I’m giving you an easy and elegant meal that you can prepare ahead of time for you and your special someone, it’s impressive and filled with flavor.
It’s actually a revision of an older recipe I did on my blog about five years ago. The key is you’ll want to use a mild white fleshed fish fillet, one that can easily be rolled, not too thick and not too tiny in size either. I was going for cod but my fishmonger suggested I use Petrale sole, which is not like a true sole but more like a flounder. I told him I wanted to stuff and roll it and he said it would be perfect for that, and he was right!
If you can’t find Petrale sole, try flounder, cod or better yet ask your fishmonger, they know what’s best.
The inside of the fillets are generously brushed with a good quality basil pesto, please make your own if you can because the flavor of the pesto will really shine through, anything inferior will not be as good. The fish is then stuffed with a mixture of julienned carrots and zucchini, then rolled into nice little bundles.
The fish bundles are cooked right on top of thinly sliced shingled red potatoes, when finished everyone gets plated their very own pretty presentation.
A crispy topping of panko, lemon and garlic adds superior flavor, texture and crunch to the finished dish.
You’ll have plenty of room for dessert after this!
And for dessert I highly recommend this Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake, we absolutely loved it.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
- mild white fleshed fish filets ( I used 4 for this recipe) sole, flounder or cod, thin enough to roll and big enough to stuff.
- 2 carrots and 2 zucchini, julienned, do not use the seeds of the zucchini
- good quality basil pesto
- 8 or 9 tiny red potatoes, thinly sliced with a mandoline, do not use the ends
- panko bread crumbs
- lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley for garnish
- Heat oven to 400 degrees, Toss sliced potatoes into a bowl and coat with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- On parchment, layer the sliced potatoes in a shingled pattern overlapping the slices making a rectangular raft to hold the fish bundle, make sure you can see the potato slices on all 4 sides of each raft.
- Take the inner side of each fillet and generously brush it with the pesto from end to end.
- Place a handful of the veggies on the small end of fillet then roll up and secure with tooth pick, place seam side down onto potato shingles.
- Brush top of bundles with pesto so the panko mixture sticks, sprinkle with paprika.
- To make the panko mixture, mix 1½ cups of panko with 1 smashed garlic clove and the zest of 1 lemon.
- In a small saute pan drizzle olive oil and crisp up the panko mixture until golden.
- Press the panko mixture onto the top of each fish roll up, drizzle with olive oil and bake until fish is cooked and potatoes get crisp on the edges.
- Sprinkle with parsley for garnish.
- Use a nice wide spatula, get right under the potatoes and carefully lift up.
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
