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Posted on Tue, Dec 29, 2009 : 4:48 a.m.

Peggy Lampman's Tuesday dinnerFeed: Donna's pistachio-crusted arctic char

By Peggy Lampman

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Pistachio-Crusted Arctic Char

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

Back in the sixties, if someone was considered "green", it could imply they were woefully naive; not necessarily a complement, especially in those iconoclastic times. In the spendthrift nineties, "green" was often used as a descriptive word meaning jealous, as: "Eddy was green with envy coveting his neighbor's Hummer".

Today, if someone is considered to be "green", especially in Ann Arbor, it's a huge compliment and usually means they support the environment in thought, word and action.

Using this definition, my friends Donna and Jack are two of the "greenest" people I know. In fact, they're so "green", I'm surprised the perennial leaves in front of their LEED-certified sustainable home have lost their color in the late December snow.

Donna has been a close friend since 1977. She's a no-pretense kind of a person: What you see is what you get. And what you get is all good, especially if you're lucky enough to be invited to dinner at her house.

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Donna Newsom serving roasted eggplant.

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

For them, sustainable living is not a trend but a lifestyle, which includes supporting local businesses whenever possible.

Donna's dinner menu was the perfect example and included Arctic Char, purchased from Plum Market, freshly baked bread from local bread artisan, Jeff Renner, and eggplant slices liberally brushed with locally-produced Kenzoil before baking. Donna purchased the bread and Kenzoil from Arbor Farms.

Donna recommends serving the fish with your favorite tartar sauce. She made hers from scratch adding fresh dill, chopped onion, mustard and capers to a homemade mayonnaise. Salmon or ruby trout fillets may be substituted for arctic char.

(Coming tomorrow & not to be missed: Donna's Eggnog Custard)

Yield: 4-6 servings Active Time: 20 minutes Bake Time: 10-15 minutes, depending on oven temperature and thickness of fillet

Ingredients

2-2 1/2 #arctic char, skin-on, cut into 4-6 portions Zest of 1 lemon 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (Progresso) 1 cup finely chopped pistachios 1 cup flour 1-2 large eggs, beaten (for dipping)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375Ëš. 2. Combine lemon zest, bread crumbs and pistachios. Place flour, egg and pistachio mixture in 3 separate shallow dishes. 3. Dredge each fillet in flour, then coat both sides in egg, then roll in pistachio mixture, pressing nuts into flesh to adhere. 4. On a large baking sheet, bake char, skin side down, on middle rack of oven 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and fish flakes easily with fork prongs. Do not overcook; serve immediately.

Visit me on dinnerFeed for more more seasonal recipes and local value (recipe search engine on site.) Mini-recipes daily fed to you on my dinnerFeed Twitters.

Comments

Jan Onder

Thu, Dec 31, 2009 : 7:26 a.m.

I was there and can confirm that these are fantastic recipes. The eggplant was incredible and served at room temp. I don't like fish, and I had thirds on the char!

Ayla Barenfanger

Tue, Dec 29, 2009 : 8:47 a.m.

this is the best fish I've ever tasted!