Black Bass With Piperade And Polenta Recipes

BLACK BASS AND GAMBERI CACCIUCCO

Steps:

• For the polenta: Add the milk, cayenne, bay leaf and 1 cup water to a saucepot and heat until just barely a simmer. Stir in the polenta and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and Parmesan. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and press the polenta in the bottom of the dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to set, about 1 hour.
• For the cacciucco: Add the wine, half of the chopped fennel (reserve the fronds for garnish), half of the chopped onions, a pinch of red pepper flakes and some salt to a large stockpot (about 8 quarts). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the wine is reduced by one-half, then fill the pot halfway with water. Squish in the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the pot with their juices. Add the shrimp shells and cod carcass. Season with another pinch of red pepper flakes and some salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve this tomato base.
• In a separate saucepot, bring some water to a boil; prepare an ice bath. Blanch the haricot verts in the boiling water, then shock in the ice bath. Reserve.
• In a large high-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining chopped fennel and onions and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more. Add a ladle of the tomato base to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add the clams, saffron and fennel pollen, cover and cook. Remove the clams from the skillet as they open and set aside. Add another 2 ladles of the tomato base and the lemon juice to the skillet and keep warm.
• Season the bass fillets with salt. In a nonstick pan, add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium heat. Place the fillets in the pan skin-side down. Pan-fry the fish 2 minutes per side and remove to a baking sheet skin-side up. Add the shrimp and haricot verts with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook until the shrimp are pink.
• Add the clams back to the skillet with the tomato base.
• Remove the polenta from the fridge and flip it out onto a cutting board. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out rounds and place 1 in the bottom of each of 4 serving bowls. Top each with some haricot verts, a bass fillet, a couple of big shrimp and 2 to 3 clams. Then ladle about 1/2 cup of broth over top. Garnish with fennel fronds and a pinch of fennel pollen.

BLACK BEANS AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Add the oil to a saucepan and let get heated over medium heat.
• Add in onion; increase heat to high and stir/saute onion for 3 minutes or until tender.
• Add in the wine, garlic, and oregano; stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Drain one can of beans and add to saucepan; add in the other can of beans undrained; stir to combine.
• Cover pan and lower heat to medium; let cook while you are making the polenta; uncover and stir occasionally and season to taste with salt/pepper if needed.
• Add the vegetable broth and rosemary to a soup pot; cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Uncover and lower heat to medium.
• While whisking constantly, slowly and gradually add the cornmeal to the boiling broth.
• Continue whisking for 2-3 minuutes or until the mixture is a porridgelike consistency.
• Take polenta off burner and add in the cheese and margarine; stir to combine; season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Spoon polenta into individiual serving bowls; top with beans.
• Serve warm.

STEAMED BLACK BASS WITH SICILIAN-STYLE PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour olive oil into a large ovenproof skillet or baking dish. Season bass with scallions, salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon and orange zests; place in skillet skin-side up. Pour vermouth over fish.
• Top fish with butter and transfer to oven; bake until fish is semi-firm to the touch and just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer fish to a plate and pour any juices left in baking dish into a small saucepan. Place over low heat and add pesto, whisk until well combined. Stir in basil, parsley, and celery leaves; if mixture seems too thick, add a little hot water to adjust consistency.
• Divide pesto mixture evenly between four plates and top with fish fillets. Serve immediately.

BLACK BASS POACHED WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Place the wine, vinegar, coarsely chopped vegetables, coriander and fennel seeds, peppercorns and bay leaf in a saucepan. Add water, bring to a boil, season with salt, and simmer about a half hour. Remove from heat, add the dill, basil and mint, and steep the herbs for an hour. Strain the broth and transfer to a deep saute pan large enough to hold the fish in one layer.
• Bring the broth to a simmer, add the scallions, tomato and ginger, cook about a minute and remove with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. Peel, seed and dice the tomato. Cut the ginger slices julienne style. Set the vegetables aside.
• With a sharp knife, lightly score the skin side of the fillets in a crisscross pattern to prevent them from curling. Bring the broth back to a very gentle simmer, place the fish in the broth skin side down and poach until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fish to soup plates.
• Bring the broth to a simmer again, spoon some over the fish and top the fish with the scallions, diced tomato, ginger and lemon pieces. Garnish with the coriander and serve. Freeze any leftover liquid for future use.

SEA BASS WITH POLENTA AND ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss peppers, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and 3 teaspoons thyme in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Roast until peppers are tender and brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 1 hour. Cut peppers into 1/2-inch strips and return to pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Bring milk, water, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon thyme to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Cover and remove from heat. Let steep 15 minutes.
• Gradually whisk polenta into milk mixture. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Continue cooking until thick and creamy, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Mix in cream. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; cook until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Spread 1 tablespoon tapenade over each fillet. Broil red peppers in pan until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Spoon polenta onto 6 plates. Top with fish and red peppers.

GRILLED POLENTA BITES WITH BLACK BEAN SALSA

Steps:

• Combine black beans, tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Lay polenta rounds on a clean work surface and brush the tops with olive oil. Flip the rounds over and brush the other side with olive oil. Lightly season one side.
• Grill polenta rounds for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, flip them over and grill for 5 minutes longer. Top with black bean salsa just before serving.

BLACK SEA BASS WITH TAPENADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the garlic in a medium casserole with a lid. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cover and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft. Set aside.
• Peel the potatoes, and slice into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large casserole or saute pan with a lid. Add the potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
• Once the garlic is done, raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
• Remove the potato-onion mixture from the heat, and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Add rosemary and thyme sprigs, and cover with the fish fillets. Season with salt and pepper, and scatter the roasted garlic, lemon slices and tomatoes over the fish.
• Place the uncovered casserole over high heat. When the potatoes begin to sizzle, add the wine. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in the fish stock, and cover. Bring to a boil. Then place the casserole in the hot oven, and roast until fish is done, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast the slices of baguette and rub them with olive oil.
• Use one or two large spatulas to transfer the fish and vegetables to a serving platter, discarding the rosemary and thyme. Pour sauce over the fish, and sprinkle with parsley.
• Serve garnished with croutons topped with tapenade.

POLENTA AND BLACK BEAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 450°F. Oil 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix 1/2 cup cilantro, chilies, salsa verde, garlic, and cumin in medium bowl. Arrange 9 polenta rounds in bottom of dish, spacing evenly. Drizzle 1/4 cup cream over. Top with half of beans, half of hominy, and half of chili mixture. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups cheese. Repeat layering. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 475°F; uncover casserole and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and serve.

PARCHMENT-BAKED BLACK BASS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-ounce bass fillet in center of a 16-by-20-inch piece of parchment. Whisk together 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 3 tablespoons soy sauce; drizzle over fish. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons julienned fresh ginger. Fold edges to seal. Place on a baking sheet; bake for 12 minutes.