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Pan Seared Striped Bass
with preserved kumquat on parsnip potato puree
with butternut squash custard
by Chef Jaques Hayes
 
Featured recipe for March 2001

Ingredients

For the Kumquat Vinaigrette:
1/2 c. bottled clam juice
1/4 c. champagne vinegar
1 t. Dijon mustard
2 t. shallots, minced
1/4 t. garlic, minced
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. preserved kumquats*, sliced thin & seeded
2 Roma tomatoes, skinned, seeded & diced
1 t. fresh chives, minced
1 t. fresh chervil, rough chop
Salt and white pepper to taste
*Available at specialty grocers

For the Potato Parsnip Purée:
2 c. potato, peeled & diced
1 c. parsnip, peeled & diced
1 T. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the Butternut Squash Custard:
1 1/3 c. butternut squash, (peeled & diced
Salt
3 Large eggs
3 Egg yolks
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
White pepper
2 T. butter

For the Striped Bass:
8 - 3oz. pieces of fresh striped bass
Salt and white pepper
Vegetable oil

For the Garnish:
Fresh sprigs of chervil
Deep fried sliced parsnip


Directions

For the Kumquat Vinaigrette:
Combine the first six ingredients in a blender and puree. Spoon in the next four ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. This can be made a day in advance. Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

For the Potato parsnip purée:
In separate pots, cover the potatoes and parsnips in salted, cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until very tender. Combine the vegetables in a bowl and whisk in the butter and cream until silky smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This can be made in advance. To reheat, add the purée back to a saucepan and slowly bring back to temperature adding a small amount of cream if necessary.

For the butternut squash custard:
Preheat oven to 250º F.
Place diced squash in a medium saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until very soft. Drain very well. Place squash on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until very dry. Remove from oven. Increase temperature to 325º F. In a blender, add eggs, yolks and cream and blend until smooth. Add the cooked squash and purée again until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Butter the interior of four small ramekins. Place the ramekins in a pie dish or small pan. Carefully fill the ramekins to the top with the custard. Fill the pan with hot water half way up the ramekins. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the custards from the water and cool on a wire rack until ready for plating.

For the Striped Bass:
Pat dry the fish with a paper towel. Season the fish well with salt and pepper. Place large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil. Sauté fish skin side down for two minutes. Turn the fish over and reduce the heat to medium low. Sauté for three to four more minutes.

Plate assembly:
Spoon pureed vegetables onto the center of the plate. Stack two pieces of fish atop the potatoes. Using a paring knife carefully cut around the rim of the custard to loosen. Unmold onto plate next to fish. Generously spoon the kumquat vinaigrette on to the fish and around the custard. Garnish with chervil and fried parsnips.

More Bass Recipes in our Recipe Archive.

 
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