Poached Sea Bass with Fennel Cream
This recipe is a mouthwatering combination of flavours that make a really special lunch or main course for dinner. Several of the elements can be prepared in advance and then the fish cooked at the last minute. Add a crisp and fruity white wine and satisfaction guaranteed.
Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Serves: 4
You can easily substitute the sea bass with another white fish according to taste.
Accompany with Château George 7 Blanc
INGREDIENTS
4 sea bass fillets, boned
1 tbsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
2 fennel bulbs
2 large stalks of celery
1 small potato
100ml of liquid cream
1 small shallot
100ml of vegetable stock
4 handfuls of mixed salad greens
25cl of extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch of tarragon
1 clove of garlic
1 pink grapefruit (unwaxed)
150 g of sugar
200ml of water
METHOD
Prepare the candied grapefruit
Zest the grapefruit without touching the white pith. Cut the grapefruit zest into thin strips. Plunge the zest into a pot of cold water (just enough to cover), bring to the boil and drain immediately. Repeat 3 more times. This takes the bitterness out of the grapefruit zest. In another saucepan, prepare the syrup by heating the litre of water with the sugar. Once the syrup is simmering, immerse the grapefruit strips and cook over a low heat until the syrup is much reduced. The grapefruit strips should be translucent and candied.
Prepare the fennel cream
Cut a fennel bulb into pieces, chop the peeled shallot, cut the peeled potato and the celery into pieces. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Put in the vegetables and cook without browning for 3 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and mix everything in a blender, adding the liquid cream. Season to taste.
Prepare the celery.
Peel the stalk of celery. Cut it into 10cm sections. In a frying pan, melt 1 knob of butter with the celery sticks and the vegetable broth. Cook for 4-5 minutes so that the broth evaporates almost completely and the celery is very shiny. You can add a disk of greaseproof paper over the celery to aid cooking
Prepare the fennel broth
Heat a saucepan with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Gently heat the spices. Cut the fennel bulb into pieces. Add the pieces of fennel to the pot. Stir well. Cover with water and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the fennel and spices. Keep the broth warm, with the heat turned off.
Prepare the fish
Place the sea bass fillets in a deep dish. Pour the very hot broth over it and leave to cook for 10 minutes.
Prepare the salad
In a blender, mix the bunch of tarragon, 25cl of olive oil and a peeled and a clove of garlic with the core cut out. Wash the mixed green salad leaves and season with 3 tbsp of the tarragon oil.
Take the sea bass fillets out of the broth. Place a fillet of sea bass on a plate. Pour 2 tbsp of fennel cream next to the fish. Place a few pieces of celery on the side as well as a handful of mixed greens. Finish with strips of candied grapefruit on the fish.
