Pan-Seared Arctic Char With Strawberry Salsa And Passion Fruit Wine Sauce

6 (8-ounce) Arctic char fillets, skin on
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
2 pints strawberries, cleaned and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced   (caution: wear rubber gloves to do this)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 small red onion, diced

Passion Fruit Wine Sauce
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ bottle Morad Winery Passion Fruit Wine

1. Rub each fillet with salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Score the skin and sear on medium–high heat, skin side down, for about 2 minutes; then turn to medium–low for 3 more minutes (the fish should be almost cooked). Then flip over, turn off heat, and allow the fish to finish cooking in the pan.
2. Prepare the strawberry salsa. Toss strawberries, jalapeño, cilantro, and red onion in the lime juice; sprinkle in a little salt. Serve over fish or on the side.
3. Prepare the sauce. Melt butter in a pan. Add shallot and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Then add passion fruit wine and flambé (ignite the wine with a long match and cook it) until the alcohol burns out, and reduce the sauce until it thickens a little. Pour the sauce over the fish or serve it on the side.

Yield: 6 servings

I love pairing fruit with savory dishes. When I discovered Morad Winery’s delicious fruit wines, I knew I had to incorporate one into a dish! I decided to use Arctic char, a species of trout, because it strikes a delicate balance between the mildly sweet freshwater taste of trout and the more robust taste of salmon, a perfect pairing for fruit! —Sara

Make the salsa close to serving time since it tends to get gummy if it sits overnight.