MM. RICHARDSON

SeaBass Recipes

Marinated and Grilled ....
SeaBass

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T Florida sugar
1 T garlic, finely minced
1 T onion, finely minced (green part only) 2 T oil
2 T sesame seeds
4 Florida striped bass fillets (about 2 pounds), each cut into 2 pieces, skin on
oil for greasing grill
Prepare marinade: Combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, onion, and oil; set aside. Place sesame seeds in a medium frying pan and stir over medium heat until they begin to brown (they brown quickly, so watch). Add to soy sauce mixture.

Lay fillets skin down in a single layer in a pan with raised sides. Pour soy mixture over fillets. Let sit for a moment, then turn fillets so they are flesh side down. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

When ready to grill, remove from marinade and place bass on oiled grill over ashen coals, skin side touching the grill; grill for 3 - 4 minutes on one side only. (Do not turn fillets or they will fall apart). Baste fillets with marinade every minute or so until done. Use a greased spatula to transfer fish to serving platter. Serves 4



Sweet Sour Fish

Sweet And Sour Fish

A well-known Chinese favorite (unfortunately, it's one of those dishes that my husband does not take).

Serves 7 - 8.

Ingredients:

(A): (B): Corn flour thickening mix (C): Method:

Turn the fish upside down and, with a few sharp blows of the cleaver, break the head bone in the middle.
Press down firmly on the top of the head with your palm, to flatten it.
Split open the fish, cutting along the stomach (refer to picture).
Remove the center bone carefully. Score the flesh side of each fillet with criss-cross diagonal cuts.
Press the scored sides of the fish onto the flour. Then coat the whole fish. Shake to remove excess flour.

Heat cooking oil in a pan and deep-fry fish over high heat for 5-8 minutes. Lift fish from oil and drain.

Heat 5 teaspoonfuls cooking oil in a pan.
Add (A) and fry for 5 minutes.
Add (B) and bring to boil.
Add (C). Cook till mixture boils again. Pour over fish and serve at once.



Crisp Paupiette of Sea Bass in a Barolo Sauce

Paupiette of Sea Bass serves 4

For the Paupiette of Sea Bass:
·  4 sea bass fillets, 7 ounces each, skinless, bones set aside for the sauce
·  Salt, freshly ground black pepper
·  3 sprigs fresh thyme: 1 sprig leaves only, chopped, and 2 sprigs halved for garnish
·  2 very large baking potatoes, peeled
·  3 tablespoons sweet butter
 
For the Leeks:
·  2 tablespoons sweet butter
·  2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
·  Salt, freshly ground black pepper
 
For the Sauce:
·  1 tablespoon oil, for cooking
·  1/2 cup shallots, peeled and chopped
·  1/2 cup white mushrooms, caps only, sliced
·  1/2 sprig fresh thyme
·  1 cup chicken stock
·  1 bottle (750 ml) of Barolo wine or other good red cooking wine
·  1 tablespoon heavy cream
·  1/2 cup sweet butter
·  Pinch of sugar
·  Salt, freshly ground black pepper
·  1 tablespoon chives, minced
 
Preparation

For the Paupiette of Sea Bass:
Make each fillet as rectangular as possible (about 5 inches by 2 inches) by trimming off uneven edges with a sharp knife. Salt and pepper the fillets and sprinkle them with a teaspoon of the chipped thyme. Using a knife, shape each potato lengthwise by cutting off the rounded outer flesh to form 4 rectangular slices (do not cut off the tips of the potatoes). Cut each potato lengthwise into very thin, long slices with a vegetable slicer or mandoline. Each potato should yield about 16 slices (8 slices are needed to wrap 1 fish fillet). Do not rinse the potato slices as their starch will help the wrapped slices stick together. Toss the potato slices in 1 tablespoon of the butter, melted, and a pinch of salt. Place a 10 inch-square piece of parchment paper on the counter. Choose 8 potato slices of approximately the same length. Place a fillet of fish horizontally at the top of the parchment paper so you can match the length of the potato wrap to the length of the fish. Place the first slice of potato perpendicular to the fish starting on the left side. Place a second slice overlapping the first one by about 3/8 inch from the left edge. Continue overlapping the potato slices until you have covered an area equal to the length of the fillet of fish. Center the fish horizontally in the middle of the potato wrap and fold the edges of the potatoes over the fish to enclose it entirely. Repeat the same process for the remaining fillets and refrigerate.

For the Leeks:
Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and sweat until soft, about 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm on the side.

For the Sauce:
Heat the oil in a pot over high heat. Add the reserved sea bass bones, the shallots, mushrooms, and thyme sprig and roast for 8 to 10 minutes while stirring often. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook until completely reduced. Add the Barolo wine, bring to a boil, and reduce by half. Remove and discard the fish bones with a mesh skimmer. Reduce the sauce to 2 tablespoons. Add the heavy cream, stir, and bring to a boil over low heat. Whip in the butter, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Strain the sauce with a fine mesh strainer and keep warm on the side. (If the sauce is too thick add a little water to thin it.)

To cook the paupiette of sea bass, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large nonstick pan over high heat. Add the paupiettes of sea bass and sauté until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. If the fish is very thick, finish cooking in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Presentation

Place a bed of leeks in the middle of 4 warm serving plates and ladle the sauce around the leeks (about 2 tablespoons per plate). Place a paupiette of sea bass on top of the leeks and garnish with 1/2 sprig of thyme. Sprinkle the plate with the minced chives.