Saffron-Infused Sea Bass with...Saffron-Infused Sea Bass with Velvety Fennel Puree and Citrus-Herb Emulsion

A refined Mediterranean masterpiece featuring crisp-skinned wild sea bass resting on a silk-smooth saffron fennel cream, finished with a bright citrus-salicornia oil.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   For the puree: In a small saucepan, sauté the minced shallot and sliced fennel in 10g of butter until translucent. Add the cream and saffron. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes until the fennel is completely soft.

2. 02

   Transfer the fennel mixture to a high-speed blender. Process until perfectly smooth, slowly adding 20g of cold butter to emulsify. Pass through a chinois or fine-mesh sieve. Season with salt and keep warm in a bain-marie.

3. 03

   For the Confit Tomatoes: Place cherry tomatoes in a small pan with the olive oil and a strip of lemon zest. Heat gently at 60°C for 15 minutes until the skins just begin to blister.

4. 04

   For the Emulsion: Take 2 tablespoons of the tomato-infused olive oil and whisk with lemon juice and finely chopped salicornia to create a broken vinaigrette.

5. 05

   For the Sea Bass: Score the skin of the sea bass lightly. Season only the skin side with sea salt. In a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add a splash of oil and place the fish skin-side down. Press firmly with a weight or spatula for 30 seconds to ensure even crisping.

6. 06

   Cook the fish for 4 minutes on the skin side until golden and crispy. Flip carefully and cook for only 30-45 seconds on the flesh side. Remove from heat immediately.

7. 07

   Plating: Spoon a generous circle of the saffron fennel puree onto the center of a warmed plate. Place the sea bass fillet atop the puree. Arrange 5 confit tomatoes around the fish. Drizzle the citrus-salicornia emulsion over the plate and garnish with fresh fennel fronds.