Wild Striped Bass En Papillote Recipes

ROASTED WILD STRIPED BASS WITH PEPERONATA

Steps:

• Make the peperonata: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to break up anchovies. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are very soft, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Make the bass: Place 2 lemon slices on a small rimmed baking sheet; top with a piece of bass. Repeat process with remaining lemon slices and bass. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle evenly with oil, and top each piece of fish with a sprig of rosemary. Roast until the fish is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Serve fish over peperonata with potatoes on the side.

SEA BASS IN PAPILLOTE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.
• Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange fillets, skin sides down, in 1 layer in center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet. Arrange 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute. Stir in capers.
• Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.
• Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from oven and carefully lifting up a corner of top sheet of foil, pulling up sides of bottom sheet to keep liquid from running out. If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.
• Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (be careful not to tear foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top. Serve immediately, discarding thyme before eating.

PAPILLOTE OF STRIPED BASS WITH HERBS AND QUICK AIOLI

Steps:

• Arrange 2 shelves in the oven at a fair distance from each other. The foil-enveloped fish will need some room to puff and expand as it cooks. Better to rearrange the oven racks while the oven is not yet hot. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake the potato until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Spread about a 2-foot sheet of foil on a flat surface with 1/2 of it hanging off the counter in front of you. Put the fish, skin side down, horizontally, onto the foil near the end of the counter leaving about 1 1/2-inches of foil on both sides. Season the flesh side of the fish with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with some dill, parsley and a few lemon slices. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons oil on top of the fish. Fold the foil back over the fish and fold in the sides of the foil twice. Leaving some air in the package, roll the top of the foil down twice gathering the top to make a window , leaving about 6 to 8 inches between the fish and the top. It should look like a small package, with all the sides sealed. There should be enough room left around the fish to allow for the steam to build up as it cooks, creating an inflated envelope around the fish. Repeat with remaining 3 pieces of fish.
• Put the garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the egg yolks and pulse to blend. When the potato is completely cooked and still warm, put it on a flat surface and split it open lengthwise. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the flesh, totaling about 3 to 4 tablespoons, and add it to the processor. Pulse to combine. With the processor running, slowly add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, through the opening at the top, in a steady stream. Add the sugar and the lime juice and pulse to incorporate. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Using 2 baking sheets, put 2 of the foil envelopes on each sheet and add a little water to the bottom of the sheet pan. This water will create additional steam in the oven as the fish cooks. Put the baking sheets on 2 shelves of the oven and bake, undisturbed, until the envelopes begin to puff, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to 4 dinner plates. To serve, break open the foil and drizzle with the aioli.

ROASTED WILD STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the stalks from the fennel bulbs; reserve the bulbs for another use. Remove the feathery fronds from the stalks, and reserve for garnish. Using a sharp knife, halve the stalks lengthwise. Arrange the stalks in the bottom of a 9 × 13-inch baking dish; pour the wine over the stalks. Lay the fish fillets on top; drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast until the fish is just cooked through and opaque throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Divide the fish among serving plates, discarding the fennel stalks. Garnish with reserved fronds.
• Buying fresh fish
• Steaks and fillets: These should smell fresh and have plump, moist flesh that is not discolored. Avoid any with flesh that appears dry and has sections that are separating.
• Whole fish: Look for gills (just under the head) that are bright red, without any brown spots; eyes that are full and clean, not a discolored white or gray; and skin that is shiny, not dull. The flesh should be firm, and the odor should not be fishy.

SAUTEED STRIPED BASS WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Rinse potato slices under cold running water, drain well and pat dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, nonstick skillet over high heat. Add potatoes, salt to taste, and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
• Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, and add the cepes and chanterelles. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook over high heat until the mushrooms wilt. Add the shallots, garlic and parsley. Cook for about a minute, stirring gently; then, set aside. Keep warm.
• Dredge the fish in flour, and shake off the excess. Set aside.
• In another large, nonstick skillet, add 4 remaining tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the fillets, and season well. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 or 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, gently flip the fish and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until done. Do not overcook. Remove and keep warm.
• Divide the potatoes evenly over four plates in a ring pattern. Place the fish over the center, and put the mushroom mixture over the fish.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter, and cook, swirling occasionally, until lightly browned. Add lemon juice, then pour lemon butter equally over each serving. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

POACHED WILD STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• In a fish poacher or a deep roasting pan, combine the wine, 4 quarts water, thyme, fennel, carrots, onion, garlic, peppercorns, salt and lemon. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• Measure fish at its thickest point. If using a roasting pan, wrap fish in cheesecloth and tie ends with string; the ends of the cheesecloth serve as handles for removing the fish later. Lay the fish in the cooled liquid. If liquid does not cover it, add water. Bring to a simmer. When bubbles begin appearing on the surface, begin timing at 7 minutes per inch of thickness.
• When time is up, turn off heat and let cooking liquid cool to the touch. Carefully transfer fish to a serving platter. Reserve a cup of poaching liquid to make a sauce. Using a small knife, peel away the skin and excess fat from the head to the tail. Brush fish with olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature, passing a bowl of sauce.

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.