Cary Neffs Chilean Sea Bass In Tomato Fennel Broth Recipes

SEA BASS IN TOMATO FENNEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauté the fennel, onion, and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet for 5 minutes or until the fennel and onion are tender.
• Add the Pernod and mix well.
• Cook for about 3 minutes or until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.
• Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, wine, salt, and pepper and mix well.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Process the tomato mixture in a blender or food processor until puréed.
• You may prepare up to this point 1 day in advance and store, covered, in the refrigerator.
• Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Add the fillets and spoon some of the sauce over the top of each.
• Simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fillets are opaque and flake easily.
• Remove the fillets to serving plates and spoon some sauce over each serving.

PAN-SEARED SEA BASS IN TOMATO FENNEL BROTH

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, sweat the fennel, onions, and carrots in the olive oil. Cook until the vegetables are softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Next, deglaze with the white wine. Once the wine has reduced, add the stock and orange juice. Reduce the heat and allow the liquid to cook until it has reduced by half. Once reduced, add the tomatoes and garlic and allow the sauce to further simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season. Remove saucepan from the heat, pour through a strainer, and return to the pan. Finish with the butter. Keep warm.
• For the fish: Season the skin side of the fish fillets with the ground fennel, salt, and pepper, and then season the flesh side with salt and pepper.
• In the oil in a nonstick saute pan over high heat until it reaches the smoking point. Reduce the heat and add the seasoned fish, skin side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat, and continue to cook for 5 to 6 minutes, carefully spooning the hot oil over the fish to keep the skin crisp. Once the fillet is cooked, remove from the pan and serve with the sauce.

ROASTED CHILEAN SEA BASS WITH SEARED TOMATOES AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Sear the tomatoes over medium heat, add the leeks, and cook together 3 minutes. Add the shallots, olives, capers, reserved tomato juice, vermouth, and stock, and cook 5 minutes more over medium heat, or until the sauce reduces slightly.
• Pour the vegetable mixture into an ovenproof casserole. Place the fish on top of the bed of vegetables and roast the fish for 8 to 10 minutes. Gently remove the fish from the casserole, stir in the tarragon and butter and spoon the vegetable sauce around the fish.
• Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional chopped tarragon.

SEA BASS AND SPICY TOMATO SAUCE OVER BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Chop enough fennel fronds, if using, to measure 2 tablespoons. Quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Cook fennel bulbs, sliced onion, and anchovy paste in 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until coated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, then add broth and braise, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove lid and boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer fennel mixture to a 1 1/2-quart shallow gratin or other shallow 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• While fennel mixture is braising, cook chopped onion, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste in remaining teaspoon oil in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon and stirring occasionally, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Arrange fish fillets on top of fennel mixture and season with salt. Spoon tomato sauce over fish. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper, then cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake in middle of oven until fish is just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with fennel fronds.

CARY NEFF'S CHILEAN SEA BASS IN TOMATO-FENNEL BROTH

Steps:

• Warm a pan large enough for the fish over medium heat. Spray with oil, add the minced fennel, onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until barely softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add the Pernod. Return pan to high heat, which should ignite the Pernod. When the flame has died, or when the smell of alcohol is gone, add the wine. Add the tomatoes and tomato juice and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper. Puree in a food processor or blender, strain through a fine-mesh strainer and return to pan.
• Add the saffron, turn heat to medium low and slide in the fish. Spoon some sauce over each fillet. Cover and simmer until cooked, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Serve garnished with the sauce and topped with the fennel fronds.