- Yield: 4
Grilled Striped Bass with Baby Fennel ►
Grilled Striped Bass with Baby Fennel
Ingredients
- Indirect heat method
- Striped bass or rock cod - 1, 2-pound
- Baby Fennel Bulbs - 8 (alt. 1 large fennel bulb with greens)
- Salt
- Salt
- Sea Water - 1 quart (alt. plain water mixed with 1-1/2 cups salt)
- Artichokes - 4 large
- Lemon Juice - 1 lemon
- Cilantro - 1 bunch, fresh, stemmed and chopped
- Tomato Sauce
- Purple Onion - 1 small, peeled and thinly sliced
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Tomatoes - 4, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- Thyme - 1 bunch, fresh, chopped
- Garlic - 1 ounce, chopped
- Dry White Wine - 1 cup
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne Pepper
- Fennel bulbs - reserved from above
- Sea Water - 1 quart (alt. plain water mixed with 1-1/2 cups salt)
- Artichoke bottoms - reserved from above
Instructions
Prepare to grill by indirect method: Light a large quantity of charcoal briquettes in a large, covered charcoal grill and let the coals burn until they are covered with light ash. Prepare for indirect cooking by forming the coals into a circle around the perimeter of the grill. Place the cooking grill on top.
To prepare the fish: Trim the fins from the fish with scissors. Gut the fish through the gills to keep the fish belly uncut. Clean the fish inside and out under cold running water. Do not scale the fish; the scales will protect the fish during grilling, retaining moisture and flavor.
Cut the green tops off the fennel and place in water for a few seconds. Reserve the bulbs for the tomato sauce. Salt the fennel tops. Stuff the tops through the gills into the body cavity. Sprinkle the fish with sea water and brush with oil. Place in the center of the cooking grate and cover. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, turning half-way through; brush with oil before turning. The fish is done when it is opaque at the thickest part of the meat. Remove the fish from the grill; set aside.
Trim the artichokes leaving the bottoms; reserve the top leaves for presentation. Place the artichoke bottoms in a saucepan with sea water and lemon juice. Season with salt and cook for 15 minutes, until softened. Drain; hollow out the core with a spoon, discarding the hairy choke. Set aside.
To prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, saute the onion in a little oil. Add the tomatoes, thyme, garlic, and wine. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add the reserved fennel bulbs and stems and cook for 20 minutes (the pan could be placed on the grill, over the coals, while the fish is cooking). Sea water may be added to the cooking liquid if the liquid is reducing too rapidly, and to adjust thickness of the sauce. Place the artichoke bottoms in the sauce to reheat.
To serve: Place remaining fennel stems on a platter; put artichoke bottoms in the center of the platter. Arrange fennel bulbs around the artichokes. Spoon tomato sauce over the vegetables. Remove the skin from the top of the fish and remove the fish fillet meat from both sides, placing it over the vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and garnish with reserved artichoke leaves.
