Striped Bass Or Mahi Mahi With Fennel Leeks And Tomatoes Recipes

STRIPED BASS OR MAHI MAHI WITH FENNEL, LEEKS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Lay the fish fillets in a baking dish or on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish and refrigerate while you make the sauce.
• In a large lidded sauté pan that will accommodate all of the fish in one layer (see note below), heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the garlic and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the fennel. Turn down the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook, stirring often, until the fennel is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover the pan, add the tomatoes, salt to taste, and the pepper and cook uncovered, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is thick and fragrant. Stir in the dill and 1 tablespoon of the parsley.
• Lay the fish over the fennel mixture. (Note: If the pan isn't big enough, divide the mixture between two pans.) Cover and place over medium heat. Simmer 10 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork. Sprinkle on the remaining parsley and serve the sauce and fish together, with rice or potatoes.

STRIPED BASS WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO SCAMPI

Steps:

• To cook the bass:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish liberally with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the lemon zest and juice. Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the fillets skin-side-down in the pan and let them cook, without moving them, until the skin is crisp and golden brown, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Give a light push to loosen the skin from the pan. Add the thyme sprigs to the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove fish from the oven and transfer to paper towels.
• To make the scampi:
• In a large skillet, heat the garlic oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and capers and cook until the celery has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and cook until it is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, tomatoes, and basil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate the flavors and heat the tomatoes through.
• Serve the bass fillets topped with the tomato scampi.

BROILED STRIPED BASS WITH TOMATOES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat broiler with rack about 8 inches from heating element. Make diagonal slashes 1/4 inch deep at 2-inch intervals across flesh side of fish. Stir together garlic, oregano, lemon zest and juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons oil; spread on both sides of fish, rubbing into slashes. Cut fennel stalks from bulb; reserve 1/4 cup of picked fronds. Place stalks lengthwise on a rimmed baking sheet. Top with fish, slashed side up.
• Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise; remove and discard core. Thinly slice bulb lengthwise and toss with tomatoes, olives, remaining tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; spread evenly around fish. Broil until fish is just cooked and opaque throughout and vegetables are charred in places, 8 to 10 minutes. (If they begin to blacken, tent with foil.) Divide fish and vegetables among 4 plates; garnish with fennel fronds.