Pan-Seared Loup de Mer...Pan-Seared Loup de Mer with Saffron-Fennel Purée

An elegant Mediterranean masterpiece featuring crispy skin-on wild seabass atop a velvety saffron-infused fennel purée, finished with a bright olive-caper emulsion.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the purée: In a small saucepan, simmer the chopped fennel in lightly salted water with the saffron threads for 15 minutes, or until completely tender. Drain well, reserving 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid.

2. 02

   Transfer the warm fennel and saffron to a high-speed blender. Add the heavy cream, 25g of unsalted butter, and a splash of the reserved cooking liquid. Blend on high until completely smooth and velvety. Season with white pepper and sea salt, then pass through a fine-mesh chinois. Keep warm.

3. 03

   For the emulsion: In a mini food processor, pulse the Kalamata olives, capers, lemon juice, and 40ml of extra virgin olive oil until a coarse, broken vinaigrette forms. Set aside.

4. 04

   For the tomatoes: Heat 10ml of olive oil in a small pan over high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and blister for 2-3 minutes until the skins begin to split. Season with a pinch of sea salt and set aside.

5. 05

   For the fish: Score the skin of the seabass fillets diagonally in 3-4 places and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with sea salt. Heat the remaining 10ml of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

6. 06

   Place the fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet, pressing gently with a spatula for 30 seconds to prevent curling. Sear for 3-4 minutes until the skin is exceptionally crispy and golden brown.

7. 07

   Flip the fillets, add the remaining 25g of butter to the pan, and baste the skin with the foaming butter for exactly 1 minute. Remove the fish from the pan and let it rest on a warm plate for 1 minute.

8. 08

   To assemble: Spoon a generous swipe of the saffron-fennel purée across each warmed serving plate. Arrange the blistered tomatoes alongside. Position the crispy seabass fillet skin-side up on top of the purée. Drizzle the olive-caper emulsion around the plate, and garnish with delicate fennel fronds.