Wild Striped Bass With Favas And Couscous Recipes

SEARED WILD STRIPED BASS WITH SAUTEED SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water and salt it well. Place the asparagus in the boiling water and cook until the water comes back to a rolling boil. Remove and place it immediately in the salted ice water. When the asparagus has cooled completely, remove it from the water and reserve. Repeat this process with the sugar snap peas and then the fava beans. You can use the same blanching water for all of the veggies, just be sure to always do the fava beans last. Fava beans have very high iron content and will turn the blanching water black. After the beans are blanched and cooled, remove the tough outer skin to reveal a lovely spring green fava bean.;
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Smash the three garlic cloves with the heel of your hand and add to the saute pan. Bring the pan to a medium high heat. When the garlic has become golden brown and very aromatic remove it from the pan and discard it. It has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the mushrooms and stock, season generously with salt, and saute for 1 minute. Add the prepared veggies, season with salt and saute until all the ingredients are coated with oil and hot and almost all the stock has evaporated. Serve immediately or later at room temperature.;
• Take the fish out of the refrigerator about 10 to 15 minutes before using. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel and season the fish on both sides with salt. Heat a large saute pan coated generously with extra virgin olive oil over high heat. Coat the bottom of another slightly smaller saute pan with olive oil. Gently place the fish fillets skin side down in the saute pan and place the other saute pan directly on top of the fish. The purpose of this is to gently press the skin of the bass onto the bottom of the saute pan to create a lovely crispy fish skin. Be sure to oil the bottom of the top saute pan or the fish will stick to it. After a couple of minutes remove the top saute pan from the fish, this will allow the steam to escape and the skin to become very crispy. As fish cooks it turns from translucent to opaque. The idea is to cook the fish 2/3's of the way on the skin side and flip it over for the last 1/3 of the cooking time. The rule for fish is about 7 to 8 minutes per inch of thickness, a little less if you like your fish more on the rare side.
• Serve the fish over the sauteed spring veggies and call your self a superstar!

WILD STRIPED BASS WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO VINAIGRETTE AND PROVENCAL OLIVE POTATOES

Steps:

• In medium bowl combine vinegar and salt; whisk until salt is dissolved. Slowly whisk in olive oil, adding more if necessary, until mixture has emulsified. Fold in tomatoes and thyme, season with pepper; set aside
• In small food processor, puree green olives, garlic and oil. Remove and set aside. In medium pan cover potatoes with cold water, bring to a boil. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender, drain well. Transfer to mixer bowl, process using paddle. While mixing, drizzle in oil mixture until smooth. Fold in nicoise olives, season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season with salt and pepper . In large saute pan, heat oil until smoking. Place fillets in pan, flesh side down, sear for 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat, place in oven, roasting fish until almost opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven. Add butter to pan, turn fillets over, cooking skin side of fish on medium heat for 1 minute. Turn fish over again, remove from pan. Place on paper towel to drain. Place small amount of potatoes on warm serving plate. Place fillet on top, spoon vinaigrette over fish. Garnish with thyme or basil.

PANKO-CRUSTED WILD STRIPED BASS WITH COCONUT-GUAVA SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a non-reactive bowl. Take boneless fillet of wild striped bass and cut into 2 to 3 pieces. Rinse fillets and pat dry. Place pieces into the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the ingredients for the sauce and let reduce by 1/2 or until it reaches the desired thickness.
• In a heavy saute pan, heat canola oil to 340 degrees F.
• Remove the fish from the marinade. pat dry and season with salt and pepper. On a clean plate put flour and on another clean plate, put panko. Dredge fish fillets through flour, then egg, then panko, completely coating each fillet.
• Place the breaded fish carefully into the hot oil and cook until it achieves a light golden brown color. Remove with a spider or strainer and dry on paper towel.
• Serve fish on brown paper with the sauce in a small bowl for dipping.

SEARED WILD STRIPED BASS ON CHIVE WHIPPED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Season the fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Place a large, non-stick saute pan over very high heat. When hot, add the oil, and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Brush each fillet (skin-side only) generously with butter.
• Place the fish fillets into the hot pan, skin side down, and brown for 2 minutes over high heat. Place the pan in the oven for 3 minutes. Serve warm from the oven, with Chive Whipped Potatoes, Truffle Vinaigrette, and Sauteed Shiitakes.
• Put the potatoes in a saucepot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Strain the water out of the pot and mash the potatoes with the cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir in the chive oil and sliced chives, and serve.
• Chive Oil: 1 cup vegetable oil, well chilled 1 bunch fresh chives, sliced into very fine pieces Salt
• In a food processor, blend the oil and chives together. Season to taste with salt. Reserve the remainder in a plastic squeeze bottle, refrigerated.
• Place chicken stock in a saucepan and reduce liquid to 1/2 cup. Place chopped shallots in a large, stainless steel mixing bowl, pour hot stock over them, and steep for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, season to taste, and slowly add the oils, whisking constantly to emulsify. Set aside until ready to use.
• Yield: 2 1/2 cups
• Sauteed Shiitakes: 1 cup thinly sliced shiitakes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon butter Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped shallots 2 teaspoons chopped garlic 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1/2 cup haricots verts, blanched 1/4 cup diced and seeded tomato
• Saute the mushrooms in olive oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme. Saute until shallots and garlic turn translucent. Add the haricots verts, combine and remove from heat. Stir in the dice tomato and serve.
• To serve: mound hot mashed potatoes in center of plate. Top with 1 wild striped bass fillet, skin side up. Surround with truffle vinaigrette and shiitakes.

POACHED WILD STRIPED BASS, CAULIFLOWER PUREE CALDIN, CURRY

Steps:

• Put the garlic and coconut in a blender and blend to make a paste, adding a little water if necessary. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and stir in the cumin, turmeric, and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they're softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic-coconut paste and cook, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fish stock and chile and simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Season the bass fillets with sea salt and let stand for 5 minutes. Bring the fish stock sauce up to a boil and add the coconut milk. Bring up to a boil once again. Add the bass to the sauce and bake in the middle of the oven until the fish is just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• To serve, plate the fish on some sauce and spoon the cauliflower puree around it.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they're fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the shallots, ginger, and garlic and cook until softened but not browned. Add the tomatoes and saute until soft. Add the cauliflower, turmeric, and chile, and saute until just slightly golden. Add just enough vegetable stock to cover by 1/4-inch. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree.