Pan-Roasted Loup de Mer
with Artichokes & Tomatoes
Pan-Roasted Loup de Mer
with Artichokes & Tomatoes
While spring produce catches up with the weather, pantry ingredients like marinated artichokes, olives and capers can bring the taste of Mediterranean summer to the dinner table in no time. The sea bass pictured was less than a pound before cleaning, so rather than risk overcooking in the oven, I opted to pan-roast it. In the same way my mother obligingly prepared the small fish I would catch as a child (smallmouth bass love cheese on a hook), the fish is dusted with flour, pan-roasted and garnished lemon slices. Those fish were more of an amuse-bouche than a meal, but the Loup de Mer here can be cooked together with the garnishes for a one-pan Provençal special.
Difficulty:
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Serves 2 people
Ingredients:
1 lb. Loup de Mer, cleaned (innards/fins/scales removed)
¼ cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Sea Salt & White Pepper
½ bunch Tarragon
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
½ lb. (8) Marinated Baby Artichokes, halved
1 ½ medium Tomatoes, large dice
10 Picholine Olives
1 Tbsp. Non-pareil Capers
½ Lemon, sliced + juice
Technique:
•Rinse the fish in cold water, inside and out, and dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to score (make shallow incisions) the skin on the bias in 1” intervals on both sides, being careful not to penetrate the flesh of the fish.
•On a piece of parchment, season flour with salt and pepper and coat the outside of the fish. Stuff the cavity with the tarragon, reserving 1 sprig.
•Cook gently on each side until the skin is golden. Rotate the direction of the fish regularly for even cooking.
•Turn the fish again. Once the flesh is opaque in the thickest part of the filets, remove to a warm platter.
•Drizzle fish and garnish with olive oil and serve with a pinch of fleur de sel.
Saturday, Mar 24, 2012