Red Mullet Fillet with Sweet Peperonata
Seared mullet fillets crisscross peperonata and tapenade which carry the taste of Italy. Extra-virgin olive oil laces each part of the dish.
Ingredients
- Oil-cured Olive Tapenade
- Olives - 1/4 cup, oil-cured and pitted
- Dijon mustard - 1/8 teaspoon
- Anchovy Fillets - 1, white, oil-packed
- Fresh lemon juice - 1/8 teaspoon
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 1/8 cup
- Basil-infused Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Boiling Water - 2 quarts
- Kosher salt - 1/2 cup
- Basil leaves - 1/2 cup, stemmed
- Fresh lemon juice - 1/2 teaspoon
- Garlic Cloves - 1 small, peeled
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Sweet Peperonata
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Shallots - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Garlic - 1/8 teaspoon, minced
- Yellow Bell Pepper - 2 tablespoons, seeded and diced very small
- Green Bell Pepper - 2 tablespoons, seeded and diced very small
- Red Bell Pepper - 2 tablespoons, seeded and diced very small
- Fresh Zucchini Juice - 1/8 cup, strained
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Red Mullet
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Red Mullet Fillets - 8, skin on, boneless
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh Micro - 4 sprigs (alt. baby basil)
Instructions
To prepare the tapenade: Put the olives, mustard, anchovy, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Puree on slow speed. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube; blend about 1 minute, leaving the olives recognizable. Put in a covered container and refrigerate.
To prepare the infused olive oil: Bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Place the basil in a strainer and dip into the water for 10 seconds. Place the strainer in a bowl of ice water immediately and chill. Squeeze the basil as dry as possible. Place the basil in a blender and add the lemon and garlic. Blend on medium speed while slowly adding the olive oil through the feed tube. Blend for 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper, and pour the mixture in a small plastic squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until needed. The oil may be prepared one day ahead.
To make the peperonata: In a small, heavy pot, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and stir together with a wooden spoon. Add the peppers and cook for 2 minutes, continuing to stir. Add the zucchini juice, season, and simmer slowly for 3 to 4 minutes, until the liquid portion of the mixture coats a spoon. Set aside.
To prepare the mullet: Brush a non-stick 12-inch saute pan or skillet with olive oil. Season the mullet with salt and pepper and place in the cool pan, skin-side down. Place over high heat and press down on the fillets with a narrow spatula to keep them flat. After 1 minute, turn the fillets over and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Drain the fish on paper towels.
To serve: Place a teaspoon of tapenade in the center of each serving dish and spread evenly in a rough circle. Place one tablespoon of the peperonata in the center of the tapenade. Crisscross two red mullet fillets, skin-side up, on the tapenade. Drizzle with the basil-infused oil. Garnish each with micro or baby basil.
