Wild Striped Bass With Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette And Provencal Olive Potatoes 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!

STRIPED BASS WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO SCAMPI

Steps:

• To cook the bass:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish liberally with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the lemon zest and juice. Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the fillets skin-side-down in the pan and let them cook, without moving them, until the skin is crisp and golden brown, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Give a light push to loosen the skin from the pan. Add the thyme sprigs to the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove fish from the oven and transfer to paper towels.
• To make the scampi:
• In a large skillet, heat the garlic oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and capers and cook until the celery has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and cook until it is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, tomatoes, and basil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate the flavors and heat the tomatoes through.
• Serve the bass fillets topped with the tomato scampi.

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.

ROASTED WILD STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove stalks from fennel bulbs; reserve bulbs for another use. Remove feathery fronds from stalks; and reserve for garnish. Using a sharp knife, halve stalks lengthwise. Arrange stalks in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan; pour wine over stalks. Lay fish fillets on top; drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake until fish is just cooked through and opaque throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Divide fish among serving plates, discarding fennel stalks. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds.