Fillet Of Stone Bass Recipe

Prep and cook

Scrub the Jerusalem artichokes well to remove dirt; leave the skins on for flavor. Peel and dice the potato. Place the chopped artichokes, diced potato, crushed garlic clove, and stock in a medium saucepan and add enough water to barely cover (about 1/2–3/4 cup extra if needed). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook gently until very tender, about 18–22 minutes.

Drain, reserving about 2–3 tablespoons of cooking liquid. Transfer the cooked vegetables and garlic to a blender or use an immersion blender in the pot. Add the butter, heavy cream, milk, reserved cooking liquid as needed, salt, white pepper, and lemon juice. Purée until completely smooth, tasting for seasoning. If the purée is too thick, add additional warm stock or milk 1 tablespoon at a time to reach a silky, spreadable consistency. Keep warm over very low heat or in a warm oven (200°F/95°C) covered.

Pat the stone bass fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Score the skin lightly if necessary to prevent curling.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter. When the butter foams and the fat is shimmering, place the fillets skin-side down in the pan, spacing them so they don’t touch. Press gently with a spatula for 10–15 seconds to ensure even contact.

Cook skin-side down without moving for 3¾–4½ minutes, until the skin is crisp and the fish is cooked about two-thirds of the way through. Flip the fillets carefully and add the remaining 1 tbs butter to the pan. Spoon pan fat over the tops while cooking for another 1–2 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 125–130°F (52–54°C) for medium doneness. Remove fish to a warm plate and rest for 1–2 minutes. Squeeze a little lemon over the fillets before plating.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp butter in a small skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the sprout tops or microgreens and sauté for 30–45 seconds just until they wilt slightly but retain bright color. Season with a pinch of sea salt flakes and remove from heat.

To plate: Spoon a generous pool of warm Jerusalem artichoke purée onto each plate, spreading slightly. Place a fillet of stone bass on top of the purée, skin-side up if crisp. Arrange a small nest of sautéed sprout tops alongside or atop the fish. Finish with a light drizzle (about 1/2 tbs) of extra-virgin olive oil and a final pinch of sea salt flakes. Serve immediately.