Roasted fillet of white sea bass en escabeche
1hour, 10 minutes. Serves 8
ESCABECHE SAUCE
4 red bell peppers
2 poblano peppers
2 Anaheim peppers 1⁄2 cup extra- virgin olive oil, divided 4 small shallots, thinly sliced into rings 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced Pinch chile flakes, or to taste Bouquet garni ( a couple of sprigs of thyme, bay leaf and parsley stems tied together)
Salt
1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 1 cup chicken broth ( fish or vegetable broth can be substituted)
1. Roast the peppers: Place the red bell, poblano and Anaheim peppers on a rack over the flame of a stove- top burner ( the restaurant chars the peppers using a blowtorch). Roast the peppers, turning to quickly char and blacken the skin on all sides ( while the skin will char, the flesh should not cook); this will need to be done in batches until all of the peppers are done. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, rub the charred skin off of the peppers using kitchen or paper towels. Seed the peppers and cut each into strips. Set aside.
2. In a saucepot, heat onefourth cup olive oil over mediumheat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the chile flakes and bouquet garni, along with a pinch of salt, and stir well.
3. Add the redwine vinegar to the pan and increase the heat to high. Cook until the vinegar is reduced completely, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the julienned peppers, stirring to coat them completely with oil. Season with ap inch of salt and reduce the heat. Stir in the tomatoes and season with another pinch of salt. As the tomatoes cook, they will release juices to form a sauce.
5. Stir in the broth and bring the sauce to a simmer, cooking just to marry the flavors ( the vegetables should keep their crunch).
6. Remove from heat and strain the escabeche through a colander. Spread the escabeche vegetables out onto a rimmed baking sheet to cool quickly ( refrigerate if making aday in advance). Place the sauce back in the pan over medium- high heat and reduce by half. Remove from heat and, using an immersion blender, slowly emulisfy the sauce while adding the remaining one- fourth cup olive oil.
7. Cool the sauce completely and refrigerate until needed. The sauce is best made a day in advance to give the flavors time to marry.
ROASTED FILLET OF SEA BASS EN ESCABECHE
3 1⁄2 pound fillet white sea bass or king salmon, skin off and bloodline removed, brined ( see note)
Salt Espelette pepper ( smoked or sweet paprika, or cayenne pepper can be substituted) Oil
2 tablespoons butter, plus ¼ cup ( ½ stick) softened salted butter, divided
2 cloves garlic
1 branch thyme
Escabeche sauce
Lemon juice, if needed Red wine vinegar, if needed 2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the fish on both sides with a light sprinkling of salt and Espelette pepper.
2. Over medium heat, warm a sauté pan large enough to hold the fillet of fish. Add enough oil to coat the surface of the pan and add2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter starts to foam, carefully place the fillet in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and branch of thyme.
3. Cook the fish overmedium heat until it is light golden in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Bevery careful as the fish cooks that the pan does not get too hot and the butter does not brown toomuch; the fish should be tender, and heat that is too high will toughen the fillet.
4. Carefully flip the fillet, using 2 fish spatulas if needed. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more. As the fish cooks, gently baste itwith the fat in the pan, spooning over the oil and butter to keep the fish moist as it cooks.
5. Remove the fish fromthe pan to a cooling rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Set the fish aside to rest for 3 minutes, then take the internal temperature with a thermometer. The internal temperature should read118 degrees. If the temperature is too low, brush the fish with the softened butter and place the fish in the oven for 3 minutes. Remove the fish fromthe oven and rest again for 3minutes before taking the temperature. Repeat this process until the fish reaches 118 degrees.
6. Strain the cooking juices from the pan, discarding the garlic and thyme, and reserve for sauce.
7. Before serving the fish, reheat the escabeche vegetables, adding a couple of tablespoons of the sauce, a touch more olive oil and a bit of lemon juice and/ or red wine vinegar to enhance the flavors, along with the chopped parsley. Reheat the remainder of the escabeche sauce, checking for seasoning and flavoring.
8. To serve, slice the warmed fish into 8 portions. Place the escabeche vegetables on a warmed platter and arrange the fish on top. Spoon some of the vegetables over the fish. Serve the escabeche sauce at the table.
EACH SERVING
Calories............................................. 449 Protein...................................... 41grams Carbohydrates ....................... 10 grams Fiber ........................................... 3 grams Fat ............................................. 27 grams Saturated fat............................. 8 grams Cholesterol .................................. 110mg Sugar.......................................... 4 grams Sodium....................................... 585mg
NOTE: The fish is brined with a5% solution, or 50 grams salt ( a scant ¼ cup) to 600 grams water ( a generous2 ¼ cups) and 400 grams ice cubes ( a scant 4 cups), for about 1hour, then refrigerated until ready to cook. Before cooking, rest the fish at roomtemperature for about an hour to temper. The method is described in Cimarusti’s Master Class article on brining ( bit. ly/ 1rHp8Jt).