Crisp Sea Bass With Minted Fennel Radish Salad Recipes

CRISPY SKIN BLACK SEA BASS WITH AVOCADO, TOMATILLO AND FENNEL RELISH

Steps:

• For the relish: Combine the tomatillo, avocado, serrano, fennel and onions in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the canola oil, lime juice, vinegar and honey. Season with salt and pepper, and fold in the cilantro.
• For the crispy skin fish: Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add some canola oil and heat until hot and smoking.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Lay the fish in the hot pan, skin-side down, pressing down with your fish spatula. Add the butter to the pan and let melt. When the edges of the fish look golden brown and crispy, after 3 minutes, flip the fish. Reduce the heat and cook another 2 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the crispy skin with some of the butter.
• Remove the fish to a plate. Serve with the relish. Finish with some extra-virgin olive oil.

CRISP SEA BASS WITH MINTED FENNEL & RADISH SALAD

Steps:

• Boil a small pan of water, then blanch the fennel for 15 secs. Drain and cool under cold running water, then drain again and dry. Whisk together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and sugar, then toss half with the fennel. Set the other half of the dressing aside and leave the fennel to marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Season the sea bass fillets. Place the fish in the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 4-5 mins until the skin is golden and crisp - you might want to press the fillets with the back of a spatula for the first 30 secs to prevent them curling. Turn, leave for 30 secs to 1 min more, then remove from the heat.
• Toss the radishes, herbs, capers and reserved fennel fronds into the marinated fennel slices with some seasoning, then pile onto two plates. Carefully place the fish on top, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and serve with Lemon-roasted new potatoes, see 'goes well with'.

SEARED BLACK SEA BASS WITH BITTER GREENS, FENNEL, GRAPEFRUIT AND FETA SALAD

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Coat the bottom of another smaller saute pan with olive oil. Sprinkle the fish with salt on both sides. When the large saute pan is screaming hot but not quite smoking, lay the fish fillets in the pan, skin-side down. Do not crowd the pan, you may have to work in batches. After you put the fish in the pan, place the other small saute pan directly on top of the fish fillets. This applies gentle pressure to the fish and forces the skin to have contact with the pan and will create crispy skin. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes, and then remove the top pan. Shake the pan a little to unstick the fish. Use a fish spatula to flip the fish fillets, and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side. Remove from the pan and serve, or keep warm until the remaining fish is cooked.
• In a large mixing bowl, dress the greens, fennel and red onions with olive oil and the grapefruit juice. Season with salt. Toss in the olive slivers and grapefruit supremes.
• Divide the salad between 2 serving plates and sprinkle with the feta. Lean a fish fillet on each salad. Serve immediately.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA BASS WITH FENNEL AND PERNOD

Steps:

• Season the sea bass filet with salt and pepper and rub it with extra virgin olive oil. Remove the stalks from the bulb of fennel. Rinse and split in half.
• Slice the fennel bulb thinly and place it in a baking dish. Add the star anise, sea bass filet, the garlic clove with the skin on and the Pernod®. Cover the top of the baking dish with aluminum foil, sealing the edge. Place the baking dish on the stove until the aluminum foil begins to pop from the internal steam. Bake at 450 degrees Farenheit for 7 minutes.
• Remove the aluminum foil and the olives and sprinkle with the freshly chopped dill. Serve the sea bass filet with the fennel garnish and the cooking liquid.

PAN-ROASTED SEA BASS WITH LEMON FENNEL OIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Rinse fillets and pat dry. Season fillets with salt and pepper. In a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or non-stick skillet with handle wrapped in foil) heat 1 teaspoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sear fillets skin side down, pressing flat with a metal spatula to prevent curling, 2 minutes. Transfer skillet to middle of oven and roast fillets 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.
• While fish is roasting, in a small skillet whisk together remaining 3 teaspoons oil, lemon juice, fennel seeds, and salt and pepper to taste and heat over moderately low heat until hot but not smoking.
• Serve fillets skin sides up and spoon sauce over them.