Chilean Black Bass with Fried Parsley & Onion Flakes, Black Garlic

& Meyer Lemon Emulsion, and Grilled Fennel

Serves four

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 fresh fillets Chilean black bass (6oz to 8oz each)

1 small carrot, finely chopped for mirepoix

1 small onion, finely chopped for mirepoix

1/2 celery branch, finely chopped for mirepoix

1 small French shallot

2 fresh whole fennel bulbs (1 frond choped into 4)

Bouquet garni: 1 branch of thyme & 1 bay leaf (tied together with string)

2 Meyer lemons, peeled skin (reserved) and squeeze lemon juice)

1 pinch of Fleur de sel (sea salt)

4 coriander seeds

4 whole pink peppercorns

10 oz fish broth

10 oz dry white wine (divided into 2)

2 fresh egg yolks

5 oz of heavy cream

2 tbsp unsalted butter

4 oz of topping* (ingredients below)

1 cup water

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DIRECTIONS:

First prepare your fried onion, parsley, and black garlic (instructions below).

In a small saucepan, boil one cup of water, slice lemon peels into thin strips and poach for 30 second in the boiling water. Strain (leave water boiling), dry on a paper towel and reserve.

Rinse and cut fennel bulbs in half. In the same pot of boiling water (reserve), blanch the fennel for 3 minutes. Strain, dry on a towel paper, and reserve.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat combine water, carrots, fennel frond, lemon peels, coriander, onion, pink peppercorns, 5 oz of white wine, fleur de sel, and bouquet garni. Bring this vegetable broth to a light boil.

At the same time in a small saucepan bring fish broth to simmer. Remove heat from your vegetable broth and delicately place the bass fillets into the vegetable broth and pour the fish broth over. Cover the pan and let the fish cook with heat off for 10 to 12 minutes.

During this time prepare your lemon emulsion* (instructions below) and grill the fennel on a grill pan with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Delicately remove fish from the broth, pat dry, and remove the skin. Keep warm. In a small bowl, gently mis onion flakes, fried parsley, and black garlic gently with a fork. Add a pinch a fleur de sel. Gently place each fillet on an individual plates and put a full soup spoon of the topping on the top of each one. Pour the emulsion all around the fish.

*THE TOPPING

Onion Flakes:

INGREDIENTS

1 large red onion or 4-5 French shallots, thinly sliced

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup unbleached organic all-purpose flour

1 tsp of Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ cup vegetable oil (for frying)

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, soak onions in buttermilk for 10 minutes. 

Add flour to a separate medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. 

Working in batches, grab a handful of onions with tongs or a large fork. Shake off excess buttermilk then toss onions in flour mixture until fully coated. Repeat it for all onion batch. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. When oil is shimmering, add onions, working in batches, and fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

Parsley:

INGREDIENTS
1 full hand of flat leaf parsley (Italian Parsley)
1 ½   cup vegetable oil (use the same oil as you precedingly used for fried onion)

DIRECTIONS
Wash and dry parsley well and rougly chop. In the same large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. When oil is shimmering, add parsley, fry until crisp, about 1 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Black Garlic:

Very finely chop two cloves of black garlic, mix with one teaspoon of virgin olive oil and set aside.

*LEMON EMULSION SAUCE

In a small pan over low heat clarify butter and let cool.

Thinly chop shallot, add to pan with white wine and Meyer lemon juice. Let reduce completely.

Add heavy cream and let reduce at medium heat for 3 minutes.
Off heat, combine everything with an immersion blender.
Add the cold clarified butter and egg yolk and continue to blend until you obtain a fluffy sauce. Strain through a thin strainer and keep warm.

Wine Pairings (Available at Bonde):

• Peter Michael, L'aprés Midi, Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Les Pavots Vineyard, Knights Valley, Sonoma, CA
• Bonny Doon Vineyard, Le Cigare Blanc "Reserve" 2016, Beeswax Vineyard, Arroyo Seco, Montery, Central Coast, CA, USA
• Anne Amie Vineyards, "Prismé" Blanc de Pinot Noir 2018, Willamette Valley, OR
• Alfred Gratien, "Cuvée Paradis" 2013 , Epernay, Champagne, France