Image: David Lanthan Reamer
STANDING at one of the lowest, most temperate points along the long, wandering line where the Cascade Range divides the state into wet and dry, the small town of Hood River has become the fruit capital of Oregon. Here, the transition from summer to fall happens in a hard and fast second. One day, it’s sunny and a scorching 90 degrees, and then suddenly all that’s left of the warmer months is what remains on the shelves in mason jars. Hood River chefs such as Kathy Watson and Nathan Morgan of Nora’s Table have learned to take full advantage of the region’s fruit, delighting their diners during the months ending in R with fresh apples, berries, and, particularly, pears. “They’re so versatile,” says Watson of the fruit that Hood River County harvests more of than any county in the United States. “They can be enjoyed fresh from the tree, they stand out in savory dishes, and they anchor the dessert course.”
Just downriver, an ideal companion for a ripe pear swims in the Pacific Ocean: Oregon black cod. The pear’s gentle acid and pleasant sweetness add depth to the fish but stop short of overwhelming its delicate flavor like a squeeze of lemon might. What’s more, pear season splendidly overlaps with the availability of Oregon black cod for a marriage made in heaven—or as the locals prefer to call it, Hood River.
OREGON BLACK COD WITH PEARS & CHANTERELLES
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Image: David Lanthan Reamer
- 12–16 oz black cod cut into 2-inch squares (if black cod is unavailable, sea scallops make a fine substitute)
- 8 chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 ripe Oregon pear, preferably Comice
- 5 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small shallot
- 8 medium-size fresh sage leaves
- ½ cup pear cider
- Salt and pepper
- Lightly salt and pepper fish and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel and core pear, cut into thin slices and then into matchsticks.
- Cut mushrooms into quarter-inch slices and discard stem ends.
- Mince shallot and thinly slice sage leaves.
- Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium-size pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil, and swirl over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
- Immediately add black cod and allow fish to sear in the hot pan until brown on one side—about 2 minutes.
- Turn fish and cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer fish to a glass baking dish, put into the hot oven for 5 minutes, and remove.
- Wipe pan with a paper towel, add 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil, and swirl over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
- Add minced shallot, half of the pear matchsticks, and sliced mushrooms, and sauté until mushrooms are tender—about 2 minutes.
- Add pear cider and half of the sliced sage leaves, and lightly salt and pepper.
- Turn heat to high and whisk in the last tablespoon of butter until sauce is velvety.
- Remove from heat and spoon most of the pear-mushroom mixture in equal amounts onto four plates, saving some sauce to top the fish.
Published in the Wine Country Weekends issue of Portland Monthly.
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