Recipe by Annie Cuggino, Veritable Quandary
- 4 6 oz. boneless, skinless fillets
Brush sea bass with chimichurri and season with a little salt & pepper. Grill on hot grill until opaque in the middle. Do not overcook or fish will be dry.
FOR CAULIFLOWER
- 4 ½-inch slices cut from head of cauliflower
Coat in extra virgin olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Roast in very hot oven – 450F – until browned & tender.
FOR CRISPY LEMONS
- 1 lemon (use a Meyer lemon if possible)
Slice lemon paper thin, rind and all – take any seeds out. Soak in buttermilk – just enough to cover lemon slices. Dust with a little flour or rice flour. Fry in hot oil – 350F – until lightly browned and crispy.
CHIMICHURRI
- 1 red jalapeno – charred, peeled and diced
- 2 tsp fresh oregano
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- ½ tsp fresh rosemary
- 1 small bay leaf
- ½ c extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ TB fresh parsley – chopped
- 1 TB red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ TB smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Bruise herbs (except parsley) and steep in warm oil for several hours. Cool. Add all other ingredients.
ASSEMBLING THE DISH
When fish is done grilling, cauliflower is roasted and lemons are crispy, put a slice of cauliflower down on plate, followed by fish and lemons. Sprinkle each dish with approximately 1 TB crushed and toasted Marcona almonds, 5 or 6 olives of your choice (we use a mix of Nicoise, Cerignola, Castelvetrano and Kalamata), and a sprinkle of either micro greens or arugula. Drizzle a couple of TB of chimichurri on and around the fish to finish.
