Ingredients: 3 pounds potatoes 12 tablespoons (1 1/ 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup hot milk Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste One 2-pound piece swordfish, cut into 6 slices 2 Valencia oranges, peeled and sliced Juice from 2 Valencia oranges Directions:1. Place the potatoes in their peels in a large pot and cover by several inches with cold water. Turn the heat to medium and once the water starts to boil cook the potatoes until there is no resistance when pierced by a skewer, about 25 minutes. Drain and peel. 2. Push the potatoes through a food mill or strainer into a pot with 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter. With a wooden spoon, beat the potatoes with the butter while slowly adding the hot milk. Season with salt and pepper. The potato puree should be quite thick. 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 12-inch baking dish and spread the potato puree over the bottom, right up to the sides. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. 4. Layer the swordfish slices to cover the potato puree. Salt and pepper the swordfish and place 2 or 3 thin slivers of butter on each slice, using 2 tablespoons of the butter in all. Cover with the orange slices. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil and place in the oven for 40 minutes. 5. When the baking is nearly completed (when the swordfish feels springy-firm when poked), melt the remaining butter in a small nonreactive skillet. Season with salt and pepper, then add the orange juice. Cook over medium heat until it is syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven, pour the sauce on top, and serve directly from the pan. |