Pan-Roasted Striped Bass in...Pan-Roasted Striped Bass in Mole Blanco with Hoja Santa Emulsion

Crisp-skinned wild striped bass nestled over a velvety Oaxacan white mole crafted from toasted pine nuts and almonds, finished with vibrant emerald hoja santa oil, compressed chayote ribbons, and puffed amaranth.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the Hoja Santa oil: Blanch the hoja santa leaves in salted boiling water for 10 seconds, then immediately shock in an ice bath. Squeeze out all excess moisture, chop roughly, and blend with grapeseed oil on high speed in a thermal blender at 70°C for 5 minutes. Pass through a fine chinois lined with an oil filter; chill immediately over ice to preserve vibrant green color.

2. 02

   Compress the chayote: Toss shaved chayote ribbons with champagne vinegar, a pinch of sea salt, and 15ml of water. Vacuum seal in a chamber sealer at 100% compression to turn translucent and crisp. Set aside.

3. 03

   Toast the mole aromatics: In a dry cast-iron pan over medium-low heat, gently toast the almonds, pine nuts, and sesame seeds separately until fragrant but without developing deep browning, maintaining an ivory palette. Transfer to a bowl.

4. 04

   Develop mole base: In a heavy saucepan, melt 15g butter over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onion, garlic, and chile güero until soft and translucent without caramelization. Add the plantain slices and cook for 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with Mezcal, flambéing briefly to burn off alcohol.

5. 05

   Simmer and blend the Mole Blanco: Add the toasted nuts and seeds along with the warm poultry stock. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until completely tender. Transfer into a high-speed blender, add white chocolate, and blend on maximum speed for 3 minutes until silkily emulsified. Pass through a super-fine chinois and season with fine sea salt. Keep warm at 65°C.

6. 06

   Cook the fish: Score the bass skin lightly. Pat completely dry with kitchen paper and season with fine sea salt. Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat with a thin film of grapeseed oil. Lay fish skin-side down, gently pressing with a fish weight for 2 minutes to keep completely flat. Cook skin-side down for 80% of the cooking process until skin is blistered and golden. Flip, baste with remaining 15g butter for 30 seconds, and immediately remove to rest on a wire rack.

7. 07

   Plating: Spoon a generous pool of warm Mole Blanco in the center of shallow heated plates. Drizzle droplets of emerald Hoja Santa oil around the perimeter. Arrange loosely rolled compressed chayote ribbons beside the mole, sprinkle with puffed amaranth, and place the crisp striped bass fillet across the sauce. Finish the fish skin with Maldon flaky sea salt.