Striped Bass With Roasted Shallot And Garlic Puree And Leeks Food

ROASTED STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a medium saute pan and saute the onion and pancetta over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, saffron, salt, pepper, white wine, and Pernod, if using, and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, lay the fish in a 10-by-14-inch baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and mussels to the dish. Pour the sauce over the seafood and bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the fish and shrimp are cooked through and the mussels are open. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

STRIPED BASS WITH ROASTED SHALLOT AND GARLIC PUREE AND LEEKS

Steps:

• For the fish, combine the peppers, sugar and rosemary. Use a sharp knife to make crosshatch marks on the skin of each fish fillet. Rub the spice mixture into the skin and marinate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place garlic and shallots in a small baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Peel garlic and shallots and puree in a food processor with the heavy cream. Set aside.
• While garlic mixture roasts, make the leeks: Combine the water, sugar and lemon rind in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture turns a golden color. Have an oiled baking sheet ready. Stir the leeks into the caramel and immediately scrape onto the baking sheet. Cool. Separate the leeks and set aside.
• To make the vinaigrette, place all ingredients except the chives in a blender and blend until well combined. Stir in chives and set aside. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. When the pan is hot, add the fish, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the fish and cook until the fish is firm to the touch, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Place even portions of the shallot and garlic puree in the center of 6 plates. Place the fish over the puree. Sprinkle with the caramelized leeks. Pour some of the vinaigrette on each plate in a circle around the fish. Serve immediately.

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.

PLANCHA GRILLED STRIPED BASS WITH CREAMED KALE, BLANCHED GARLIC PUREE AND WHEAT BERRIES WITH TOMATO PUREE

Steps:

• For the wheat berries: Place the wheat berries in a saucepan. Cover with 4 quarts water and keep over low heat until the wheat berries soften and burst, about 2 hours.
• For the blanched garlic puree: In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the garlic, clam stock and honey. Bring to a boil and allow to cook until the garlic softens, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, put the garlic into a food processor and puree, adding some of the stock as needed in 1 tablespoon increments. Taste and season as needed. If desired, pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer and set aside until ready to serve.
• For the striped bass: Put the fish into a container and add the parsley, lemon thyme, thyme, lemons and shallots. Cover and set aside for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• For the tomato puree: Place the olive oil, mustard, ginger, tomatoes, and lemon zest and juice into a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside until ready to serve.
• For the creamed kale: Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once heated, add the leeks, shallots and garlic and saute until slightly translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sliced kale and toss to combine. Add the chicken stock and allow the kale to cook down slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and cook until reduced slightly, another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and place into a food processor. Process until pureed (or until desired consistency). Taste and season as needed. Keep warm until service.
• When ready to grill, preheat a griddle (la plancha) over medium-high heat and the oven to about 400 degrees F. Remove the fish from the marinade and sprinkle with salt. Heat the oil on the griddle, and when hot, place the fish on the griddle, skin-side down, and sear. Do not move the fish. Allow it to sear until the skin is crispy and allows you to remove it from the griddle, 4 to 5 minutes. Put into an oven-safe dish, skin-side up, and place into the oven to finish cooking through, another 3 to 5 minutes. Cook time will vary here depending upon the thickness of the fillet - keep an eye out.
• Drain the wheat berries of any water and toss with 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato puree and the chives and parsley. Taste and season if needed.
• For plating: Place 1 cherrystone clam either on a grill or on the griddle over high heat and cook until opened, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, spoon 1 tablespoon garlic puree on the plate. Top with the wheat berries, creamed kale and grilled striped bass. Serve the clam alongside. Garnish the plate with fried crispy kale, chile oil and micro greens if desired.

ROASTED GARLIC PUREE

Steps:

• Set oen to 350 degrees.
• Chop off the bottom of garlic head, and separate into WHOLE cloves.
• Place the cloves (leaving the skin on) in a shallow 8-inch square baking dish.
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake for 20 minutes; cool and drain oil.
• Remove the skins from the baked cloves (I just squeeze the cloves between my fingers, and the soft garlic just slides right out of the skin).
• To puree: add all ingredients in a processor and puree for about 30 seconds, or until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl occasionally.
• Delicious.