Let's try a new fish today! This restaurant quality Pan Seared Corvina will be the talk of your dinner party.
The creamy harissa chickpeas and spinach are rich and flavorful and benefit from the addition of pickled vegetables.
The corvina is quick-marinated in harissa and pickling juice, then pan-seared, sealing in those savory flavors. The whole gorgeous heap is topped with crispy shallots (store-bought work just fine!) and you'll serve this one feeling like a million bucks.
What you'll need to make this recipe:
Before we get to the step by step directions, a few notes about the ingredients:
Fish: the recipe calls for corvina fillets. Substitute cod, snapper, halibut or grouper.
Harissa: the African pepper paste brings savory flavor and a kick of heat. Substitute red curry paste or Korean gochujang paste, if needed.
Pickled giardiniera: the recipe calls for the simple jar of pickled veggies in your local grocery store's condiment aisle. Substitute banana pepper rings or pickled onions.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions:
1. Marinate corvina
Dry the corvina fillets well with paper towels. Then in a shallow dish, combine 1 ½ tablespoons harissa paste and 3 tablespoons pickling vinegar from your jar of pickled giardiniera, along with ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
We want both sides of the fish to get some marinade love. So dip the skin side of each fillet in the marinade first, then place fish skin side up in the dish, so the flesh of the fish is resting in the marinade. Set aside while preparing the creamy chickpeas and spinach.
2. Cook chickpeas with spinach
Next, heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium. Cook sliced shallots and chopped garlic until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add flour and salt and whisk into the mixture for one minute.
Then add harissa, stock and chickpeas and stir to combine.
Let the mixture come up to a simmer. Then add thawed and drained spinach and stir into the chickpea mixture.
Finally, add the heavy cream and pickled giardiniera. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover with a lid or tent with aluminum foil and remove from heat.
3. Cook fish
Heat a large pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Then add your marinated corvina fillets into the hot oil.
Sear the fillets for 3-4 minutes on the first side. Then using a fish spatula or thin metal spatula, flip the fish, reducing the heat to medium. Cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side, until the fillets are cooked through and firm to the touch.
4. Plate and serve
To serve, spoon the creamy harissa chickpeas and spinach into a shallow bowl. Position a pan-seared piece of fish on the chickpeas. Finally, pile crispy shallots on the fish and scatter the dish with pickled giardiniera.
Serve with warm flatbread and fresh lemons for squeezing over both the fish and the creamy harissa chickpeas.
Looking for more delicious seafood recipes?
FAQ's and Serving Suggestions:
Several types of fish would be good substitutes, including snapper, halibut, grouper and cod. If you have a preferred variety of white fish fillets - it should work here!
This is a white firm fish with tender, flaky meat. Corvina is a generic name for a family of fish containing hundreds of species (some of them known as white sea bass or kingfish). They can be found in the Pacific, mostly along central and south America. Corvina is a versatile fish, making it the ideal canvas for many of our favorite seafood cooking methods including baking, breading and frying and stewing. Whipping up a spice rub and tossing the fish on the grill would also make for an easy meal any day of the week.
Harissa is a chili pepper paste that's deeply savory, slightly acidic, and a little sweet. It's most common in Northern Africa - I tasted it first in Morocco, where it is popular to add into couscous. You can purchase harissa in mild or hot - mild has just a touch of heat.
The creamy harissa chickpeas and spinach part of this recipe were inspired by Shilpa Uskokovic. I've simplified the process a bit and combined some elements, but the sweet / spicy / pickley magic came straight out of her brain!
Corvina fillets served over the creamy harissa chickpeas and spinach make this dish is a one-plate wonder. I recommend serving it with warm flatbread to soak up every last drop of the creamy harissa sauce. If you must add another side, I would recommend a light, acidic salad like Mediterranean Tossed Salad or Cucumber Gazpacho Salad.
Frozen fish fillets work well with this recipe. Just thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and be sure to dry thoroughly with paper towels before marinating.
There is no perfect match for the complex flavors of harissa. But adequate substitutes still exist! A few tablespoons of Korean gochujang is a good option, or red curry paste will do the trick.
To store, move the creamy chickpeas and spinach to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Wrap fish tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Pan-seared Corvina with Creamy Harissa Chickpeas
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
4 6-ounce corvina fillets
¼ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons harissa paste, divided
3 tablespoons pickling vinegar (from jar of giardiniera)
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
2 tablespoons neutral oil
3 tablespoons butter
2-3 shallots, thickly sliced (½ cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup seafood or vegetable stock
¾ cup heavy cream
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup jarred pickled giardiniera, coarsely chopped
½ cup crispy shallots (store-bought)
Warm flatbread and lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Begin by marinating the corvina. Dry the fish fillets well with paper towels. In a shallow dish, combine 1 ½ tablespoons harissa paste and 3 tablespoons pickling vinegar from your jar of pickled giardiniera, along with ½ teaspoon salt. Dip the skin side of each fillet in the marinade first, then lay the fish skin side up in the dish, so the flesh of the fish is resting in the marinade. Set aside while preparing the creamy chickpeas and spinach.
- Next, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium. Cook shallots and garlic until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and salt and whisk into the mixture for one minute. Add harissa, stock and chickpeas and stir to combine. Let the mixture come up to a simmer. Add the thawed and drained spinach and stir into the chickpea mixture. Finally, add the heavy cream and pickled giardiniera. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and remove from heat.
- Heat a large pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the neutral oil and your marinated corvina fillets into the skillet. If you intend to serve the fish skin side up, cook the skin side of the fish first. If you are serving skin side down or removing the skin after cooking, start with the fish flesh side down. Cook the fillets for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip, reducing the heat to medium. Cook another 2-3 minutes on the second side, until the fillets are cooked through and firm to the touch.
- To serve, spoon the creamy harissa chickpeas and spinach into a large shallow bowl. Position a pan-seared corvina fillet on the chickpeas. Pile crispy shallots on the fish and scatter the dish with pickled giardiniera.
- Serve with warm flatbread and lemon wedges alongside for adding fresh lemon juice over the fish and the creamy chickpeas.
Notes
Substitute snapper, halibut, grouper or cod for corvina in this recipe. If you have a preferred variety of white fish fillets - it should work here!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: African, American
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