Pan-Seared Mediterranean Sea Bass...Pan-Seared Mediterranean Sea Bass with Saffron-Fennel Purée and Citrus-Olive Emulsion

A Michelin-caliber dish featuring crispy-skinned wild sea bass resting on a silky, saffron-infused fennel purée, brightened by a vibrant citrus-olive emulsion and crispy capers.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the saffron threads, remove from heat, and let infuse for 15 minutes to extract the vibrant color and aroma.

2. 02

   In a medium pot, combine the sliced fennel with just enough salted water to cover. Simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly, reserving a few tablespoons of cooking water, then transfer the fennel to a high-speed blender.

3. 03

   Add the saffron-infused cream and 30g of cold cubed butter to the blender. Process on high speed until ultra-smooth and velvety, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water if needed. Season with sea salt and white pepper, then pass through a fine-mesh chinois. Keep warm.

4. 04

   In a small bowl, whisk together the blood orange juice and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking vigorously to create a temporary emulsion. Gently fold in the minced Castelvetrano olives and season with a pinch of salt.

5. 05

   Heat 15ml of refined olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the dried capers for 2-3 minutes until they blossom and become crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

6. 06

   Pat the sea bass skin completely dry. Gently score the skin three times with a sharp knife and season both sides with sea salt. Heat the remaining 15ml of refined olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat.

7. 07

   Place the fish fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet, pressing gently with a fish spatula for 30 seconds to ensure even skin contact. Sear for 4 minutes until the skin is golden and exceptionally crisp. Flip the fish, add the remaining 20g of butter to the pan, and baste the skin for 1 minute. Remove from heat immediately.

8. 08

   To serve, spoon a generous pool of the warm saffron-fennel purée onto the center of four warmed shallow bowls. Place a sea bass fillet skin-side up on top. Spoon the citrus-olive emulsion around the purée, and scatter the crispy capers and reserved fennel fronds over the dish.