Pan Fried Sea Bass With Ratatouille Basil Food

PAN-FRIED SEA BASS WITH RATATOUILLE & BASIL

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and briefly fry 8 basil leaves just for a moment until they crisp up, then lift out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• Bring a large pan of water to the boil and get a bowl of iced water ready. Blanch the remaining basil leaves for 5 secs. Using a pair of tongs, lift out the leaves and plunge them into iced water so that they cool quickly and keep their colour.
• Once cool, lift the leaves out and squeeze to remove any excess water.
• Add the blanched basil leaves to a food blender and pour in 60ml of olive oil. to a pourable sauce, adding more oil if needed, then put in a bowl and set aside.
• For the ratatouille, halve the pepper, then deseed and slice into thin strips. Cut the courgette into quarters lengthways and slice. Slice the aubergine into thick rounds, then cut each one into strips.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the cumin and garlic, and cook for 30 secs. Tip all the veg into the pan, season and sweat for 1 min. Add 100ml water and cook on a high heat for 4 mins. Adjust the seasoning, adding the sugar if needed.
• With a sharp knife, score each fish fillet with small slits through the skin at regular intervals.
• To cook the fish, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan until hot. Season the fillets and place, skin-side down, in the pan. Cook until the skin is golden and crisp, and the flesh is changing colour.
• Turn the fillets over and cook for 1 min, remove from the heat, then sprinkle over the lemon juice. Divide the ratatouille between the plates and top with the sea bass. Drizzle with basil oil, a little extra virgin olive oil and serve with crisp basil leaves.

SAUTEED SEA BASS ON RATATOUILLE, TAPENADE, TOMATO FONDUE

Steps:

• Place a large saute pan over medium high heat and heat the on. When hot. add the onion. Stir to coat with Oil. Saute one minute then add the peppers, Stir, saute briefly and add the eggplant. Stir, saute and add the zucchini and squash. Season with salt & pepper, and saute the vegetables until soft. another 2 minutes. Add the shallot, garlic, and thyme, stir to combine well, and saute another 2 minutes, Add the diced tomato, heat through, and reserve.;
• Place olives, capers, anchovy and garlic in food processor with about half of the olive oil and puree. With the motor running, add the remaining olive oiI. Reserve;
• Warm olive oil in a stainless sauce pot over medium heat. Add the onions and simmer for 5 to10 minutes until the onions are soft. Season with salt and: pepper. Add the chopped garlic and Herb's, simmer for 1 to2 minutes, carefully cooking but not browning the garlic (the oil should seer the vegetables). Add the tomatoes, and continue cooking another 10 minutes. Place the contents of the sauce pot a food processor and pulse a few times to blend the ingredients You want the sauce to be chunky. Reserve.
• Pre-heat grill. Brush steaks with the herb oil and season with salt and pepper. Place over white coals and grill for approximately 3 minutes. Turn steaks and grill another 3 minutes, until medium Remove.
• To assemble the mound ratatouille in the center of one plate. Place one swordfish steak on top. Put one rounded spoonful of tapenade on top of the steak and surround it with tomato fondue.

BAKED FISH WITH RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and oregano. Cover and cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Mix in tomatoes and vinegar. Reduce heat to medium. Cover; cook until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper; arrange in prepared dish.
• Spoon ratatouille over fish. Bake uncovered until fish is just opaque in center, about 20 minutes.