Sauteed Striped Bass With Mint Pesto And Spiced Carrots Food

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!

SAUTEED STRIPED BASS WITH MINT PESTO AND SPICED CARROTS

Steps:

• For pesto:
• Blend mint leaves, pistachios, olive oil, and garlic in processor until coarse puree forms. Season with coarse salt. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring pesto to room temperature and stir before using.
• For fish:
• Combine olive oil, mint, and thyme in small bowl. Spread herb mixture all over both sides of fish fillets. Cover and refrigerate fish at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours.
• For spiced carrots:
• Stir all seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to spice mill or mortar and grind coarsely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, crushed red pepper, and ground seeds; sauté until carrots begin to brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Add broth and lemon juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook until browned on both sides and just opaque in center, about 5 minutes total.
• Rewarm carrots just until heated through. Divide carrots and any juices among 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 fish fillet. Spoon pesto over and serve.

SAUTEED CARROTS

Steps:

• Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10- to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

STRIPED BASS WITH PESTO

Steps:

• To make the pesto, place basil, parsley, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining olive oil. Scrape down sides of bowl, add salt, and process until smooth.
• Using a serrated knife, cut four 2-inch slits across each side of the fish. Place the fish in a 14-by-9-by-2-inch oval dish. It is fine for the tail to hang over the edge of the dish. Rub about half of the pesto all over the fish, into the slits and inside the cavity. Reserve the remaining pesto to serve with the fish, or pasta if serving, or keep for another use.
• Cover the dish tightly with microwave plastic wrap, making sure the tail is well covered. Cook at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 11 minutes. Prick plastic to release steam. Remove from oven and uncover. Serve immediately, spooning the liquid over the fish.