In chef, grower, and forager Phoebe Cole-Smith’s Mediterranean-ish recipe for delicious local tautog, filets are roasted on a bed of potatoes and leeks and topped with ripe, end-of-summer tomatoes, capers, and olives — a great meal-in-one.
Phoebe, who has lifelong Vineyard connections, recently relocated to Chappaquiddick from Connecticut, where, for over a decade, she operated Dirt Road Farm in Weston. There, she and her husband tapped more than 400 trees for maple syrup, kept honeybees and raised chickens, and had multiple gardens. She used the herbs, vegetables and fruits produced on the farm and from the area to offer on-site barn dinners and special events among other projects.
You can follow Phoebe's continuing cooking adventures on Instagram @phoebecolesmith.
Recipe excerpted from The Sea Table: Stories of Fishermen and Recipes from Martha’s Vineyard, by the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust with Catherine Walthers; photography by Randi Baird and Brooke Bartletta.
Serves 4
- 6 to 8 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled
- 3 medium leeks, halved lengthwise and well-cleaned, dark green tops removed, cut into 2-inch lengths
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling over potatoes (and over the dish at the end)
- 1½ to 2 pounds tautog filets (3 to 4 filets, depending on their size)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons homemade aioli or good mayo*
- 2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, chopped roughly and seasoned with a little salt
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs: basil, Italian parsley, marjoram, thyme, or a combination, plus more for garnishing (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Slice the potatoes into ½ to ¼-inch-thick rounds and place in a bowl with the leeks. Toss with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) to lightly cover. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold the fish filets in one layer over medium heat. Add the potatoes and leeks to the skillet and place in the oven, turning occasionally, roasting until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. (It could look like a lot of potatoes initially, but they cook down.)
3. Remove the pan from the oven and place the fish filets on the bed of potatoes and leeks. Season the filets with salt and pepper, spread the tops of the filets with the aioli or mayonnaise, and scatter the tomatoes, capers, and olives over the top. Sprinkle most of the chopped herbs over the dish and roast until the fish is opaque and flakey, approximately 15 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining fresh herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
*If you are cooking for someone with alpha-gal, be sure to check the ingredients of your mayonnaise. Most do not contain any meat or dairy products.
