Wild Striped Bass With Charred Leeks And Squid Vinaigrette Recipes

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!

WILD STRIPED BASS WITH FAVAS AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Put a 4-quart pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Once boiling, add the shucked fava beans and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and shock in an ice bath or rinse under cold water. When cool, peel the outside skin from the favas to reveal the brightly colored bean inside. Set aside.
• Bring the stock and 2 cups water to a boil in another 4-quart pot, and then reduce to a simmer. Add the couscous and saffron. Cook like pasta until the couscous is al dente, 6 to 8 minutes or according to your package instructions. Drain the couscous, reserving the broth and set both aside.
• Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with water. Slice the leek in half lengthwise. Slice the leek halves into half-moons about 1/3-inch thick using only the white and light green parts. Put the slices into the bowl of water and rinse to clean the leeks, allowing any grit or sand to collect on the bottom of the bowl. Scoop the leeks out of the bowl of water and set aside.
• Preheat a 12- to 14-inch skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of the fish fillets generously with salt and pepper. Sear the fish, skin-side down, until the skin is crispy and the fish is about two-thirds cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the fish and finish cooking on the flesh side for about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, reheat the saffron broth to a simmer. Heat the remaining olive oil in a small saute pan and saute the leeks until soft, 2 minutes. Add the favas and a pinch salt and cook until warmed through. Add the tomatoes and remove from the heat.
• To serve, spoon the couscous into the center of 4 shallow soup bowls. Top with the seared fish. Sprinkle the sauteed favas and leeks around and spoon the saffron broth over top of the vegetables.

WILD STRIPED BASS WITH CHARRED LEEKS AND SQUID VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• 1. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and set up an ice bath nearby. Plunge the calamari into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the calamari with a slotted spoon or strainer and immediately plunge it into the ice bath. Allow it to cool for 1 minute, then drain and set aside. Blanch the leeks in the same water for 8 to 9 minutes, until just tender. Refresh in the ice bath, then cut in half lengthwise.
• 2. Preheat the grill or broiler. Brush the leek halves with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil the leeks, cut side toward the heat, until charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Resist the temptation to move them more than once.
• 3. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until smoking. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the flesh is crispy and moves easily without tearing.
• 4. While the fish cooks, combine the wine, lemon juice, and squid ink in another sauté pan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and whisk in the mustard, then the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and add the calamari. Keep warm.
• 5. Turn the fish over and add the leeks to the pan. Cook the fish on the other side for 2 to 3 minutes and heat the leeks through. Place two leeks in the center of each of four warmed plates. Place one fillet atop each bed of leeks, flesh side up. Drizzle each fillet with some of the squid vinaigrette and garnish with the tentacles and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

STRIPED BASS WITH BRAISED LEEKS, ORANGE, AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using 1 tablespoon oil, brush bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish and an 8-inch square of parchment paper. Place leeks in dish, cut sides up, alternating root ends with tops for a snug fit. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Arrange half the thyme and half the orange slices over leeks, and pour orange juice over top. Cover with parchment paper, oiled side down. Braise until leeks are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Season fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Remove parchment. Arrange fish over orange slices. Top with olives and remaining thyme and orange. Cover with the parchment; bake until fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes.
• Divide fish, olives, and orange slices among plates. Season leeks with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and add to plates. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

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.

CHARRED STRIPED BASS NIçOISE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small pan, add garlic and cook over medium heat until golden. Remove from heat, drain garlic and chop it.
• Brush fish with half the oil on both sides. Brush flesh side with lemon and season with salt and pepper. You will need two large spatulas to turn fish; if you do not have them, cut fillet in half or in 4 portions. Brush tomato slices with remaining oil.
• Heat grill to very hot and oil grates. Briefly sear tomato slices, turning once. Remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Use edge of spatula to scrape grates clean. Re-oil. Place fish, skin side up, on grill. Cook about 5 minutes. Use spatulas to turn. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on skin side, until skewer inserted horizontally in the middle feels just warm. Salmon needs less time.
• Transfer fish to a warm platter and pave flesh side with overlapping tomato slices. Scatter with olives, chopped garlic and basil and serve, with aioli on the side, if desired.

STRIPED BASS WITH ROASTED SHALLOT AND GARLIC PUREE AND LEEKS

Steps:

• For the fish, combine the peppers, sugar and rosemary. Use a sharp knife to make crosshatch marks on the skin of each fish fillet. Rub the spice mixture into the skin and marinate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place garlic and shallots in a small baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Peel garlic and shallots and puree in a food processor with the heavy cream. Set aside.
• While garlic mixture roasts, make the leeks: Combine the water, sugar and lemon rind in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture turns a golden color. Have an oiled baking sheet ready. Stir the leeks into the caramel and immediately scrape onto the baking sheet. Cool. Separate the leeks and set aside.
• To make the vinaigrette, place all ingredients except the chives in a blender and blend until well combined. Stir in chives and set aside. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. When the pan is hot, add the fish, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the fish and cook until the fish is firm to the touch, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Place even portions of the shallot and garlic puree in the center of 6 plates. Place the fish over the puree. Sprinkle with the caramelized leeks. Pour some of the vinaigrette on each plate in a circle around the fish. Serve immediately.