Crisp Sea Bass With Braised Endive And Aged Balsamic Vinegar Recipes

SEA BASS WITH LEEKS, POTATOES AND BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Melt butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and chicken broth to skillet. Cover and simmer until leeks are tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover skillet and simmer until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place toasted baguette slices, rosemary, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil in processor. Using on/off turns, process until moist crumbs form.
• Place fish on baking sheet. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Spread 1/4 cup mustard atop fish, dividing equally. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs over each fillet, pressing gently to adhere. (Leeks and fish can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
• Whisk vinegar and 1 teaspoon mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set vinaigrette aside.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, bake fish until opaque in center, about 20 minutes. Rewarm leek mixture in skillet over medium heat.
• Slice each potato crosswise into 5 rounds. Arrange potato slices in circle on plates. Spread 1/6 of leek mixture over potatoes on each plate. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Place fish atop leek mixture.

RABBIT IN BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Preheat the grill.
• Debone the rabbit into separate breasts and legs, reserving the fat. Set aside the bones, meat, meat scraps, and fat in 3 separate piles.
• In a small pot, combine the bones, celery, carrot, onion, rosemary, and thyme. Cover with water and bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes to make the rabbit jus. Strain and set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the meat scraps, heavy cream, and egg whites to make a mousse for the quenelles. Slightly crush the pistachios and fold into the quenelle mixture. Form the quenelles with two teaspoons.
• Grill the liver, kidneys, and fat. Cook the legs separately in the oven for 20 minutes. Saute the rest of the rabbit in a heavy skillet. Remove and set aside. Add the quenelles to the same pan and cook. Remove the rabbit quenelles and set aside and add the bacon and cook until crisp. Once the bacon is crisp, remove from the pan, and cut into small pieces to make bacon chips. Set all aside and keep warm.
• Mashed potatoes: In a small pot over low heat, combine the olive oil and vegetable broth. Add the steamed potatoes, and whisk until smooth. Add the salt and pepper, and the rosemary-infused olive oil.
• Parsley Foam: Blanch the garlic cloves by boiling them in water 3 times for 20 seconds each time. Bring the milk to a boil in a separate pot. Dry the garlic cloves and add them to the boiling milk and cook until very tender and smooth. Blanch the parsley in boiling water and put it in the food processor to obtain a liquid juice. Add the garlic and make a puree. Add the gelatin. Strain the mixture and allow to cool.
• Balsamic vinegar film: Heat the vinegar in a small saucepan, and add the agar-agar. When the mixture is smooth, pour it on a cookie sheet, and let cool. Cut into pieces.
• To serve the rabbit, make a quenelle of mashed potatoes out of tablespoons and place on plate. Place all the rabbit parts and the rabbit quenelle in different positions on the plate. Add the bacon chips, the foam, and the vinegar film to give volume to the dish. Finish with rabbit juice, and serve.

DESSERT CROSTINO OF FRESH RICOTTA, STRAWBERRIES AND AGED BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Chop the strawberries into 1/4-inch dice and add them to a glass or ceramic bowl. Add sugar, balsamic vinegar and torn basil leaves. Gently toss to combine and set aside to macerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Lightly brush the toasted crostini slices with the macerating liquid to sweeten. Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta on each toast and then top with 1 tablespoon of macerated strawberries. Drizzle each crostini with remaining liquid and sprinkle with just a pinch of fresh ground black pepper.
• Serve immediately.

BRAISED BLACK SEA BASS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND TOASTED PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Rinse the fish and pat it dry. With a sharp knife, score the skin 3 or 4 times on each side, cutting 1/4 inch into the flesh.
• Heat the oil in a large flat-bottomed wok or large skillet set over high heat until very hot. Cook the fish, covered, for 3 minutes, until the skin is browned on one side. Carefully turn the fish, replace the cover and brown the other side. Add the garlic, ginger, shallots, jalapeno peppers and red pepper and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the gin, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar and sugar. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the fish again, pour in the stock, cover and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the flesh can easily be separated from the bone. Add the pine nuts, carefully slide the fish onto a platter and pour the pan juices over it. Garnish with the herbs and serve immediately.

WATERMELON CUBE WITH AGED BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Cut the watermelon flesh into 6 (1 1/2-inch) cubes.
• Use the small end of a melon-baller to remove a scoop of flesh from 1 side of the watermelon cubes, creating a small cavity for the juice.
• To serve, place a watermelon cube, cavity-side up, on each of 6 small plates and squeeze a little lime juice over them. Fill each cavity with balsamic vinegar.

SAUTéED ENDIVE WITH BALSAMIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add endive halves, cut side down, and sear on medium-high heat for a couple of minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown but still somewhat firm in the middle. Salt to taste, transfer to a serving dish and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Simmer vinegar in a small saucepan for about a minute. Remove from heat and whisk in butter bit by bit. Whisk in sugar and, if desired, some salt and pepper.
• Drizzle some of the balsamic butter on endives, strew with marjoram and dust with pepper. Serve. Remaining balsamic butter can be refrigerated for future use.