Sea Bass With Ratatouille Jus And Roasted Lemon As... |
|
 |
Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 75 Minutes |
Ready In: 75 Minutes Servings: 4 |
|
This is an elegant, yet fairly simple way to serve a delicious, healthy main course. Although it's a fish dish, a variety of vegetables makes it distinctive. Although I always make this dish with sea bass, it would obviously also work with a meaty fish like halibut. Read more . I don't think I'd try it with anything more delicate, like tilapia or cod, but you never know. Slow cooking the ratatouille vegetables and running them through the blender not only gives the dish a terrific look on the plate, but also adds a richness to the flavor. Don't overcook the asparagus; you want it to have some snap, particularly since your other vegetables are puréed. Ingredients:
11/2 lb sea bass fillet, about 1 inch thick, cut into 4pieces |
olive oil |
basil |
salt and pepper |
ratatouille jus |
1 large onion, thinly sliced |
2 red peppers, cored and thinly sliced |
2 garlic cloves, smashed |
2 small zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced |
2 small yellow squash, cut in half and thinly sliced |
olive oil |
red wine vinegar |
tabasco . |
salt and pepper |
roasted lemon asparagus |
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice |
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil |
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest |
12 asparagus spears, peeled and trimmed |
salt and pepper |
Directions:
1. For the Ratatouille Jus
2. Add olive oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Add all the sliced vegetables and garlic.
3. Cook for 3-5 minutes – do not brown. Add salt and pepper.
4. At this point, I generally pull out about 3 slices of zucchini, 3 slices of yellow squash, and 4 slices of red pepper. I will keep these vegetables cool until I am ready to plate the fish. Then I finely dice the reserved vegetables and use them as a garnish just before serving. This is entirely up to you, but it does make a much better presentation, and adds a bit of crunch.
5. Reduce heat and cook remaining vegetables slowly for 1 hour. Add a touch of water if necessary (though I've never felt the need to add any water).
6. Place cooked vegetables in a blender with a touch of water at the bottom of blender.
7. Blend, adjust seasoning, and allow to cool.
8. Once the mixture has cooled, add a touch vinegar and Tabasco and check seasoning again. The sauce should have a nice consistency, not too thick and not runny.
9. For the Roasted Asparagus
10. Preheat oven to 450° F.
11. Mix lemon juice, oil, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
12. Place asparagus in a larger bowl and pour in sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss.
13. Place asparagus on a baking sheet.
14. Roast asparagus until crisp-tender, turning occasionally, about 8 to 12 minutes.
15. To Serve:
16. Brush fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
17. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet, add fish fillets carefully, and sauté 3-4 minutes on each side, flipping very gently after the first 3-4 minutes (being careful not to break up the fillets).
18. Squeeze lemon juice over fish.
19. Pour a small amount of ratatouille jus on the plate to form a circle, lay one fish fillet on top of the jus, and arrange asparagus. If you like, spoon a bit more ratatouille jus over the fish before arranging the asparagus.
20. Garnish with basil leaves and (if you've reserved any of the vegetables) a bit of the finely diced squash, zucchini, and red pepper.
|
|