Pan-Roasted Walleyed Pike with English Pea Ravioli, Braised Endive, Crab, and Mint Pesto

Makes 4 entree servings
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English Pea Ravioli:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound English peas, shelled (about 1 cup), or 1 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 to 10 ounces fresh pasta, sheets, or 32 round wonton wrappers
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Flour for dusting

Mint Pesto:
1 tablespoon pine nuts
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves (from 1 small bunch)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Braised Endive:
4 heads Belgian endive, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fish stock (page XX) or clam juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Butter Sauce:
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fish stock or clam juice
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Four 6-ounce walleyed pike fillets (skin on), pin bones removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons grapeseed, canola, or olive oil

1 cup fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shell (optional)

To assemble the ravioli: First, make the pea filling: In a medium sauté pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, add the peas, and cook until warmed through and slightly softened, about 3 minutes. (If you are using frozen peas, it’s not necessary to defrost them first.) Add the tarragon, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree. Let cool. Use now, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

To make the ravioli: If using fresh pasta sheets, lay one sheet down and place generous teaspoonfuls of pea puree approximately 3 inches apart on it. Brush around the pea puree with the egg mixture, lay another sheet gently on top and using a 3-inch round biscuit or cookie cutter or upside-down water glass, cut out the shape desired. Press down on the edges to seal. If using wonton wrappers, lay out 16 of the wrappers on a work surface. Place a heaping teaspoonful of pea puree in the center of each wonton and brush the edges of the wrappers with water. Top each with another wrapper and firmly press the edges to seal, creating a small round mound in the center as you push out as much air as possible. Put the ravioli on a parchment-paper-lined baking pan that has been lightly dusted with flour. Store, uncovered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Or, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a covered container and freeze for up to 3 weeks.

To make the pesto: In a preheated 350°F oven, toast the pine nuts until light golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Set aside. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the mint and parsley leaves for about 10 seconds. Drain and transfer the herbs to a bowl of cold water to set the color and stop the cooking. Using your hands, squeeze out as much moisture as possible. In a food processor or blender, puree the herbs with 2 tablespoons of the oil, scraping down the sides of the container once. With the machine running, gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, and orange zest and process until the mixture forms a smooth sauce, a few seconds longer. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small plastic container, press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pesto, and seal with the container top. Use now or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Return to room temperature before serving.

To braise the endive: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the endive, cut-side down, in a gratin or baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour the wine, stock or clam juice, and cream over the endive and sprinkle with the tarragon and thyme. Cover with aluminum foil and braise in the oven until a sharp knife slides easily into the core of the endive and the cream has thickened, about 45 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and serve immediately, or let cool if preparing in advance. Reheat before serving.

To make the butter sauce: In a small saucepan, combine wine and fish stock or clam juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook to reduce the liquid by half. Reduce heat to very low and whisk in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, allowing the sauce to emulsify before adding more butter each time. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm near a pilot light or in a bowl set over (but not touching) warm water for up to 4 hours. Whisk occasionally if the sauce begins to separate.

To cook the ravioli and pike: Preheat the oven to 375°F and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat a large, ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat and sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the skillet and heat for a few seconds. Slide the pike into the skillet, skin-side down. Cook until the skin is crisp and golden, about 2 minutes. Gently turn the fillets over with a spatula and put the pan into the oven. As soon as the fillets go in the oven, generously salt the boiling water and drop in the ravioli. Immediately turn the heat down so that the water just simmers. After 3 minutes, test for doneness by cutting off and biting into the corner of a ravioli. When al dente, use a slotted spoon to transfer the ravioli to the bowl and add a large spoonful of the butter sauce. Gently turn the ravioli to coat with the sauce. Check the pike for doneness and remove the skillet from the oven.

* To serve, put the crabmeat in a small bowl and toss with some of the warm butter sauce. Arrange 5 ravioli on each of 4 warmed dinner plates. Spoon over a little more of the butter sauce. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 2 halves of endive to the top of each serving of ravioli. Place the pike fillets, crispy skin-side up, on top of the endive. Drizzle some mint pesto on the plate around dish, and garnish with a mound of crabmeat on top of the pike.