Pan-Seared Wild Sea Bass...Pan-Seared Wild Sea Bass with Silk Sunchoke Purée and Citrus-Fennel Salad

An elegant, Michelin-caliber dish featuring crispy-skinned wild sea bass over a velvety, cream-free sunchoke purée, brightened with a crisp, aromatic fennel and citrus salad.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the purée, combine the chopped sunchokes, almond milk, and smashed garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 15-18 minutes until the sunchokes are completely tender.

2. 02

   Transfer the tender sunchokes and a splash of the poaching liquid to a high-speed blender. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and blend on high until completely smooth and velvety. Season to taste with sea salt and keep warm.

3. 03

   In a small bowl, gently toss the shaved fennel and blood orange segments with the yuzu juice, white balsamic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Set aside to macerate slightly.

4. 04

   Score the skin of the sea bass fillets with 3 shallow cuts. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels and season both sides with sea salt and white pepper.

5. 05

   Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place the fillets skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for 30 seconds to prevent curling. Sear for 4 minutes until the skin is golden and ultra-crisp.

6. 06

   Flip the fillets and cook on the flesh side for just 30-45 seconds. Remove from heat immediately.

7. 07

   To plate, spoon a generous pool of warm sunchoke purée onto the center of each plate. Place a sea bass fillet skin-side up on top. Garnish with a heap of the citrus-fennel salad and scatter micro-dill over the plate. Serve immediately.