Pan Seared Striped Bass With Thai Red Curry Sauce And Spicy Eggplant Recipes

SAUTEED SHRIMP WITH THAI SPICED EGGPLANT AND THAI RED CURRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over high heat combine the oil and butter. Saute the shrimp until they are just pink, about 3 to 4 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. To serve, place 1/4 cup of the Thai Spiced Eggplant in the center of a plate. Arrange 3 of the sauteed shrimp on top and nap with 1/4 cup of the sauce. Garnish with chiffonade of basil leaves.
• In a medium saucepan, over high heat, add the peanut oil and stir fry the ginger, lemon grass and galangal. Cook until glossy and aromatic, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add the Thai chiles and stir-fry another 30 seconds. Add the cumin, paprika, red Thai curry paste and tomato. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Deglaze the saucepan with coconut milk and bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, add the lime juice, fish sauce, lime leaves and basil. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes and reduce slightly.
• Season, to taste, with salt and sugar. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes. Strain and use as needed.
• Preheat a grill. With a fork, poke eggplant several times. Rub with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Grill until completely tender. Remove pulp from the charred skin and roughly chop the pulp.
• In a medium saute pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and butter. Over medium heat, saute the jalapeno, garlic, ginger, and onion until glossy and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato and eggplant pulp. Stir until well blended. Add the sugar, cumin, and coriander. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in cilantro and Thai basil. Use as needed.

PAN-FRIED STRIPED BASS WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, whisk together: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Taste for salt and lemon juice and adjust as desired. The sauce will separate as it sits; this is not a problem.
• Season: 4 pieces striped bass, skin on (4 to 6 ounces each) with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Choose a heavy-bottomed pan for frying the fish. Take another, slightly smaller pan that will fit into the pan for the fish, and wrap its bottom with foil. This pan will be used as a weight to hold the fish flat against the frying pan to ensure that all of the skin will cook and crisp. (You will see the fish contract when it goes into the hot pan, as the skin shrinks on contact with the heat.) Warm the larger pan over medium-high heat. When hot, pour in: Olive oil, enough to generously coat the bottom.
• Add the pieces of bass, skin side down, and place the foil-wrapped pan on top of the fish. Cook until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7 minutes. Check now and then to see that the fish is indeed browning, but not overbrowning. Adjust the heat up or down to speed up or slow down the cooking as needed. When the skin is browned, remove the top pan and turn the fish. Cook for another minute or so, until the fish is just cooked through, but is still moist and tender inside. Meanwhile whisk the lemon sauce together again and pour it onto a warm plate. Serve the fish skin side up, on top of the sauce.
• Garnish the fish with a couple spoonfuls of chopped tender herbs such as parsley, chives, chervil, cilantro, or basil.
• Soak, rinse, and squeeze dry a tablespoon or so of capers. When the fish is cooked add the capers to the hot pan and sauté for a minute or two. Remove with a slotted spoon and scatter over the fish.
• Make a Beurre Blanc (Warm Butter Sauce; page 228) instead of the olive oil sauce.