Striped Bass Plaki Recipes

PAN-FRIED STRIPED BASS WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, whisk together: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust as desired. The sauce will separate as it sits; this is not a problem.
• Season: 4 pieces striped bass, skin on (4 to 6 ounces each) with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Choose a heavy-bottomed pan for frying the fish. Take another, slightly smaller pan that will fit into the pan for the fish, and wrap its bottom with foil. This pan will be used as a weight to hold the fish flat against the frying pan to ensure that all of the skin will cook and crisp. (You will see the fish contract when it goes into the hot pan, as the skin shrinks on contact with the heat.) Warm the larger pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in: Olive oil, enough to generously coat the bottom.
• Add the pieces of bass, skin side down, and place the foil-wrapped pan on top of the fish. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Check now and then to see that the fish is indeed browning, but not overbrowning. Adjust the heat up or down to speed up or slow down the cooking as needed. When the skin is browned, remove the top pan and turn the fish. Cook for another minute or so, until the fish is just cooked through, but is still moist and tender inside. Meanwhile whisk the lemon sauce together again and pour it onto a warm plate. Serve the fish skin side up, on top of the sauce.
• Garnish the fish with a couple spoonfuls of chopped tender herbs such as parsley, chives, chervil, cilantro, or basil.
• Soak, rinse, and squeeze dry a tablespoon or so of capers. When the fish is cooked add the capers to the hot pan and sauté for a minute or two. Remove with a slotted spoon and scatter over the fish.
• Make a Beurre Blanc (Warm Butter Sauce; page 228) instead of the olive oil sauce.

FISH PLAKI

Steps:

• If your fish isn't fresh, either soak it in milk for an hour or brush with 1 tbsp water mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice and let sit for 30 minutes to help remove the fishy taste associated with frozen fish.
• Saute sliced onion in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until tender. Add tomato and next 5 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid evaporates. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Pat the fish fillets dry. Place them in a 13X9X2 inch baking dish; sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Spread the reserved vegetable mixture over the fish; top with lemon slices. Pour the wine and lemon juice over the vegetable mixture; sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fillets and the heat of your oven! Remove and discard the bay leaf.