Wrapped And Grilled Whole Striped Bass With Salsa Recipes

WHOLE GRILLED ACHIOTE STRIPED BASS WITH SPICY PICKLED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
• In a medium bowl add the orange juice and the lime juice. Stir in the achiote paste, cumin, oregano and salt. Mix into a smooth paste. Rub the paste all over inside and outside of the fish. Drizzle both sides of the fish liberally with vegetable or canola oil. Put the fish on the grill. Grill until golden, about 4 minutes and then carefully flip the fish over. Grill until the fish starts to separate when lifted with a spatula. Fish will be golden brown with some charring.
• Lay the fish on a large platter. Cover with pickled red onions, sliced avocado and chopped cilantro and serve family style.
• To make the Pickled Red Onions:
• Add the sliced onions to a medium-size bowl large enough for the onions to be spread out into a thin layer. Juice the limes into the bowl, then add the chopped chile and salt. Stir to combine. Allow to sit at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight. Onions are ready when they are bright pink and softened. Their flavor will be sweet and spicy with a little texture but not crunchy.
• Yield: about 1 cup

WHOLE STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Trim the fins from the fish, rinse and pat dry. Set aside.
• Rub the bottom of a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place 1/2 of the parsley, dill, lemon and onion in the center of the roasting pan. Make sure that this mound of aromatics is high enough to prevent the fish from touching the bottom of the pan. Rub the fish inside and out with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the fish inside and out with the salt and pepper and lay on the bed of aromatics. Place the second half of the aromatics on top of the fish and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before transferring whole to a platter lined with the additional fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

BANANA LEAF WRAPPED BASS WITH SCALLION-GINGER FRIED RICE

Steps:

• Add water to a medium pot, fitted with a steamer insert, and bring to a boil.
• Coat a large wok heavily with 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and heat until the oil is almost smoking. Meanwhile, season the eggs with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the heated oil and stir vigorously until puffed and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside in a bowl. To the same wok, add another 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and heat until hot, then add the garlic, 2 tablespoons scallions and 1 tablespoon ginger and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and eggs back in, mixing gently. Season with the tamari and sesame oil. Mix well to combine. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Lay a banana leaf on your work surface. Place about 1/4 cup cooled rice in the middle. Sprinkle a piece of fish on both sides with salt and pepper and place on top of the rice. Top with a few Thai basil sprigs. Fold the banana leaf and wrap tightly, similar to wrapping a sandwich in foil or plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining fish. Carefully place each piece of wrapped fish in a steamer insert, seam-side down. Add the tea leaves to the simmering water and set the filled steamer insert over the water and cover. Steam until the fish is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, when is the fish has about 3 minutes left, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan.
• Cut the fish packets open with scissors, then top each pieces of fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons scallions and tablespoon ginger. Spoon the hot olive oil over the top of each piece of fish and serve.

GRILLED STRIPED BASS WITH MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• Start a grill or preheat a broiler. Combine fruit with a sprinkle of salt, chili flakes or cayenne, lime juice and a tablespoon of olive oil. Rub both sides of fish lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill or broil fish, skin side down. If grill has a cover, use it, and grill 8 to 12 minutes, or until fish is done. Remove carefully with a large spatula.
• If grill does not have a cover, brush top of fish with oil after 4 or 5 minutes and turn it carefully with a large spatula. Continue to cook, skin side up, until fish is done; remove carefully.
• To broil, put fish in a nonstick broiling pan and adjust the oven rack so top of fillet is no more than 4 inches from the heat source. Broil without turning, until top is nicely browned and fish is done. If fish appears to be browning too quickly, move the rack a couple of inches farther from the heat.
• Brush fish once more with oil; garnish salsa with cilantro, then serve fish and salsa together.

BAKED WHOLE BASS WITH APPLE FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover an 8 by 12-inch baking pan with the fennel slices and layer with the onion and then dot with the bacon. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lay the bass on top, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper and bay leaves. Surround the bass with the apple cider, apple slices and clams. Sprinkle with the scallions and thyme. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Remove the bay leaves and serve on a large platter.

WRAPPED AND GRILLED WHOLE STRIPED BASS WITH SALSA

Steps:

• Combine marinade ingredients in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Whisk to combine. Using a sharp knife, score several diagonal lines along the length of the fish, down to spine, on either side. Marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator. After marinating, preheat grill or broiler. Meanwhile, prepare salsa: Preheat the broiler. Place the tomatoes, garlic, chilies and onion on a baking tray. Tuck the garlic underneath the vegetables to avoid blackening.
• Broil, turning frequently, until well charred, 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Transfer roasted ingredients to a food processor fitted with the metal blade or blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil and add the avocado. Set aside. Blanch greens in a large pot of boiling, salted water, just until the water returns to a boil. Refresh with iced water and drain. On a large baking sheet, arrange greens, overlapping to form 2 rectangles as long as each fish and more than twice as wide. Place each fish in the middle of each rectangle and wrap with greens so that only the head and tail are exposed. The dampness will make them cling.
• Transfer fish to grill, reserving marinade. Cook 7 to 8 minutes per side, until greens, head and tail blacken. It will take 2 spatulas, one at the head and one at the tail, to turn fish. Don't be concerned about greens sticking. To test for doneness, try to pull out a dorsal fin from the top of the fish. If it slides out easily, the fish is done. To serve, place whole fish on a serving platter. Using a dull knife and soup spoon, scrape off any remaining skin and remove fins. Cut along spine first and serve the top fillet. Lift tail, insert knife between bones and flesh, and run it along length. All (or most) bones should easily lift out. Repeat for second fish. Serve with the salsa.