Best Crispy Whole Striped Bass With Red Tomatillo Sauce And Roasted Red Potatoes Recipes

CRISPY WHOLE STRIPED BASS WITH RED TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat about 2 inches of oil in 2 high-sided skillets over medium heat to 360 degrees F.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in enough water to make a batter the consistency of a crepe batter. When the oil has reached 360 degrees, season each fish well on the inside and outside and dip into the batter, allowing any excess to run off. Carefully place 2 whole fish in each pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve each fish on a large plate, ladle with some of the Red Tomatillo Sauce, and serve.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place tomatillos in a small roasting pan, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast until soft, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat remaining olive oil in medium saucepan, add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic and habanero and cook for 1 minute. Add the chile powder and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos, stir, and cook for 10 minute. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the vinegar, honey, and cilantro, and process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

FRIED WHOLE FISH WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim cilantro at the point where it becomes more stem-y than leafy; set leaves with tender stems aside for serving. Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup worth of stems and place in a blender along with tomatillos, pickled jalapeños, and pickling liquid. Purée until smooth; taste and season sauce with salt and more pickling liquid if desired.
• Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Transfer fish to a cutting board and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. With a sharp knife, make slashes crosswise on a diagonal along the body of the fish every 2" on both sides, cutting all the way down to the bone. Season fish generously inside and out with salt.
• When the oil is hot-it should be shimmering, and when you drop a small piece of tortilla into the oil it should begin sizzling immediately-grip the fish firmly by the tail and carefully lower, head first, into skillet, making sure to lay it down away from you. (If the tail sticks out of the pan a bit, it's not a huge deal.) Fry until flesh on bottom side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. While the fish is frying, use a metal spoon to baste the inside of the fish's head with a bit of hot oil periodically. Use tongs and a fish spatula to carefully turn fish over. Fry until flesh on second side is cooked through and skin is deeply browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and season both sides with more salt.
• Pour tomatillo sauce onto a rimmed platter and gently place fish on top. Tuck reserved cilantro into the cavity between the fish's head and body and around the fish. Serve with tortillas.

WHOLE STRIPED BASS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Trim the fins from the fish, rinse and pat dry. Set aside.
• Rub the bottom of a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place 1/2 of the parsley, dill, lemon and onion in the center of the roasting pan. Make sure that this mound of aromatics is high enough to prevent the fish from touching the bottom of the pan. Rub the fish inside and out with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season the fish inside and out with the salt and pepper and lay on the bed of aromatics. Place the second half of the aromatics on top of the fish and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before transferring whole to a platter lined with the additional fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

ROASTED STRIPED BASS WITH RED PEPPER-SPANISH PAPRIKA SAUCE WITH BATTER FRIED POTATOES

Steps:

• Toast the paprika in a small skillet over medium heat until the aroma emerges and the color deepens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a blender, combine the paprika with the vinegar, honey, and red peppers and blend well. Slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the Bass: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make 4 diagonal cuts on each side of each fish, reaching all the way down to the bone. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place a large roasting pan on a burner over high heat. When pan is hot add oil. Heat oil to almost smoking. Place the fish in the roasting pan and sear until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. When fish is seared, place the roasting pan into the oven and roast for 12 to 14 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. Arrange the fish on a large serving platter with batter fried potatoes and drizzle with sauce.
• For the Batter Fried Potatoes: In a mixing bowl, combine the beer, egg, milk, flour, and melted butter and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the thyme to the beer batter. Place the batter and the seasoned flour in 2 separate bowls. Season the potato slices with salt and pepper to taste. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat the oil to 375 degrees F or until a drop of batter sizzles on contact. Dredge the potato slices in the flour, dip them in the batter, and fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper to taste.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH POTATOES, TOMATOES AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Spread half the potatoes in the pan in a single layer, followed by half the tomatoes and half the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and repeat the layers. Scatter the garlic, thyme and rosemary on top and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, rinse the fish with cold water to remove any blood or traces of viscera. Make three deep, parallel crosswise cuts on each side of each fish. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Uncover the roasting pan and lay the fish on top of the vegetables. Raise the oven temperature to 375. Bake until the fish is opaque and flakes easily near its backbone, and the potatoes are fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon oil, garnish with more thyme and rosemary sprigs and serve.

STRIPED BASS ALL'AMATRICIANA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread olive oil in a baking dish just large enough to hold the fish in a single layer. Season the flesh side of the fish with salt and pepper, and set aside on a plate or cutting board.
• In a heavy saucepan, heat the guanciale on medium low, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the cracklings are golden. Add the onion and cook until onion is soft and barely colored. Stir in garlic and continue cooking until it softens. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently about 15 minutes, until tomatoes have come together and reduced a bit. Stir in chile flakes and remove from heat.
• Heat baking dish in the oven and when the oil is hot, remove it from the oven. Place fish, skin side down, in the dish. Spread the tomato mixture on the fish. Return dish to oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish just turns opaque and is cooked through. Serve at once or set aside at room temperature to serve in 30 minutes or so. Scatter basil on top just before serving.