Rockfish Puttanesca

By Capt. Andy Martin – One of the perks of running a charter boat on the Oregon Coast is an ample supply of rockfish and lingcod fillets to enjoy with our families and try new recipes with. One of the captains who runs out of the Brookings Fishing Charters office, Capt. Rich Signorello, says his favorite way to enjoy rockfish is Rockfish Puttanesca, a delicious twist to a classic Italian dish that will have you coming back for seconds.

Pasta Puttanesca is a simple, tasty alternative to traditional spaghetti with meatballs. Adding rockfish fillets makes the dish burst with flavor and appear much more elaborate, worthy of a spot on the menu of an expensive seafood or Italian restaurant. The recipe is actually quite simple, and costs less than $15 to make a meal for the entire family.

When Rich described his homespun recipe for Rockfish Puttanesca I was intrigued, and after experimenting a little, came up with this version. It is worth trying, and may become one of your favorite recipes for enjoying Oregon Coast rockfish.

Rockfish Puttanesca

2 to 6 rockfish fillets. Smaller fillets work best.

1/3 cup olive oil

5-6 cloves minced garlic

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 flat anchovy fillets (2 ounces)

2 14.5-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (finely diced tomatoes will can be substituted)

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

1/4 cup capers

1 bunch chopped parsley

salt, garlic salt and pepper to taste

1 package (14-16 ounces) spaghetti

Parmesan cheese

Finley chop the garlic and parsley and set aside. Rinse rockfish fillets.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook garlic for 1 minute, then add crushed red pepper and anchovy fillets. The anchovy fillets will break up. Cook for 1 more minute, and add olives, capers, parsley and crushed tomatoes. Add salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. Bring to a boil, add rockfish fillets, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Just after adding rockfish fillets and covering, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti for 9-10 minutes. By the time the spaghetti is cooked and drained, the sauce will be finished. Removed cooked rockfish from sauce and place on a separate dish, then combine sauce and spaghetti and mix well.

Add a rockfish fillet to each serving of the puttanesca. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

To catch a limit of rockfish to make Rockfish Puttanesca and other tasty seafood recipes, book a trip with any of the Brookings Fishing Charters charter boats. Learn more at www.brookingsfishing.com.