Poached Wild California Sea Bass with Back-eyed Fresh Beans, French Beans & Pancetta

October 5th, 2006

Here’s a great way to prepare beautiful Wild California Sea Bass. I like to sear the top and the poach the fish so that it retains all of its moisture. It works like this:

Ingredients (serves 2):

-2 Wild California Sea Bass fillets (you can substitute wild halibut as well)

-Handful of fresh French green beans

-3/4 cup of fresh (or dried) black-eyed beans (flagolet work well too)

-Extra virgen olive oil

-2 strips of pancetta or slab bacon cut into cubes

-1 teaspoon of chopped shallots

-1/2 cup of dry white wine

-1/2 lemon

-2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Lightly salt and pepper your fish and set aside at room temperature.
Black-eyed or Flagolet Beans: Rinse and dry your black-eyed beans. Note, if using dry beans follow the same preparation but soak beans over night in cold water. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and sautee for 1 minute. Add the beans into the pan and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat again and simmer until beans are tender (add more water if necessary). Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

French Green Beans: Rinse and clean your beans. Remove the pointed tips and discard. Take a wok or heavy sautee pan and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 3-4 minutes. The pancetta should be cooked through but not overly cripsy. Add your green beans to the pan and sautee over high heat until cooked through but nice and al dente. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Sea Bass: Add 2 cups of cold water to a sauce pan over high heat. Add the sprigs of thyme and squeeze of lemon and bring the whole thing to a boil. Meanwhile take a sautee pan (non-stick if possible)large enough to accommodate the fish and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the fish top side down and sear for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the fish and add to the sauce pan. Turn down the heat to a simmer (it should not be a rolling boil). Monitor your fish carefully. Depending on the thickness they should be cooked through within 2-4 minutes.

Plating: Take 2 warmed plates and spoon a mixture of the black-eyed beans onto the center. Gently lay the fish on top (seared side facing up). Lay the French beans on top and around, along with the bits of pancetta. Drizzle with extra virgen olive oil and serve immediately.

Buon appetito!

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