Acqua Pazza with Sea Bass and Clams (Wolfgang Puck) |
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Prep Time: 40 Minutes Cook Time: 35 Minutes |
Ready In: 75 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Ingredients:
8 tablespoons olive oil |
1 large onion, thinly sliced |
1 tablespoon minced garlic |
2 cups tomato concasse |
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper |
generous pinch saffron threads |
1 pound littleneck clams, rinsed several times and drained |
1 pound black mussels, debearded, rinsed several times and drained |
1/2 cup dry white wine |
salt |
freshly ground black pepper |
2 italian eggplants, ends trimmed, thinly sliced |
1 green zucchini, end trimmed, thinly sliced |
1 yellow zucchini, ends trimmed, thinly sliced |
10 basil leaves, chiffonade |
4 (6-ounce) sea bass fillets |
1 tablespoon butter |
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, 1/4-inch dice |
4 tablespoons basil oil, recipe follows |
2 cups basil leaves, packed |
1 cup olive oil |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a saute pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the onions and garlic until soft and glossy, just beginning to brown. Add the tomatoes, cayenne and saffron, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the clams, mussels and white wine. Cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve.
3. In another saute pan, over high heat, add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Saute eggplant slices until lightly browned. Add green and yellow zucchini. Cook another 1 minute, just until heated. Add 1 tablespoon of chiffonade of basil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Reserve.
4. Season sea bass fillets with salt and pepper. In another saute pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear fillets, meat next to the bone side down first, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer pan to oven and continue to cook another 4 minutes. Transfer to burner, turn fillets. Add butter and baste.
5. To serve: spoon 1/4 of the tomato sauce on plate. Place 1/4 of the Sauteed vegetable slices in the center and top with a piece of sea bass. Garnish with diced bell pepper and remaining chiffonade of basil. Drizzle Basil Oil around edge of tomato sauce.
6. Basil Oil:
7. In boiling salted water, blanch basil leaves for 2 seconds. Refresh in bowl of iced water and drain well. Place on baking tray lined with paper towel and let dry for 1 hour. Pour oil in a blender. Turn machine on to puree and slowly add the blanched basil. Continue to process until pureed and well blended. Transfer to a squirt bottle and allow to steep for a few hours. Use as needed.
8. Yield: 1 1/2 cups
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