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Pan-Seared Wild Sea Bass...Pan-Seared Wild Sea Bass with Saffron-Fennel Bouillon & Preserved Lemon Gremolata

Name: Pan-Seared Wild Sea Bass with Saffron-Fennel Bouillon & Preserved Lemon Gremolata
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 4 skin-on wild sea bass fillets (150g each, scaled and pin-boned); 3 tbsp premium extra virgin olive oil, divided; 1 tsp flaky sea salt; 1 medium fennel bulb, shaved paper-thin; 2 shallots, finely minced; 2 garlic cloves, finely minced; 120 ml dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc); 350 ml high-quality fish stock; 1/2 tsp high-quality saffron threads; 2 ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, and finely diced; 30g cold unsalted butter, cubed; 8 baby artichokes, trimmed, halved, and rubbed with lemon; 1 tbsp finely diced preserved lemon rind; 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

🍴

Cuisine

Mediterranean

👥

Servings

⏱

Prep Time

30 mins

🍳

Cook Time

25 mins

⭐

Difficulty

Hard

Crisp-skinned wild sea bass served over a fragrant, saffron-infused fennel and tomato broth, accented with tender charred baby artichokes and a vibrant preserved lemon-herb gremolata.

MediterraneanHard

Ingredients

•4 skin-on wild sea bass fillets (150g each, scaled and pin-boned)

•3 tbsp premium extra virgin olive oil, divided

•1 tsp flaky sea salt

•1 medium fennel bulb, shaved paper-thin

•2 shallots, finely minced

•2 garlic cloves, finely minced

•120 ml dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)

•350 ml high-quality fish stock

•1/2 tsp high-quality saffron threads

•2 ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

•30g cold unsalted butter, cubed

•8 baby artichokes, trimmed, halved, and rubbed with lemon

•1 tbsp finely diced preserved lemon rind

•3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cooking Instructions

01
Steam or blanch the halved baby artichokes in salted water for 8 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly and pat completely dry.
02
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sweat the minced shallots, garlic, and shaved fennel until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the saffron threads and cook for 1 minute until highly aromatic.
03
Deglaze the saucepan with the dry white wine and let it reduce by half. Add the fish stock and simmer gently on low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes.
04
Remove the bouillon from the heat and whisk in the cold, cubed butter one piece at a time to emulsify the broth. Season with salt to taste, cover, and keep warm.
05
In a small bowl, prepare the gremolata by combining the finely diced preserved lemon rind, chopped flat-leaf parsley, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
06
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the baby artichokes cut-side down until deeply charred, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
07
Lightly score the skin of the sea bass fillets and season both sides with flaky sea salt. In the same hot skillet, place the fillets skin-side down. Press firmly with a spatula for 30 seconds to prevent curling. Cook for 4 minutes until the skin is ultra-crispy, then flip and cook for 1 minute more.
08
To plate, ladle the warm saffron-fennel bouillon into the center of four shallow bowls. Arrange two charred artichoke halves in each bowl. Place a sea bass fillet skin-side up over the fennel, and elegantly spoon the preserved lemon gremolata along the crown of the fish.

Cooking Reviews

“

The Caprese Salad Skewers recipe was a triumph! I prepared them for a party's barbecue and everyone loved them. The basil was so aromatic, the mozzarella so fresh, and the skewers were the perfect size and an appropriate.

Michael Burns

July 1, 2023