Sea Bass Brandade

Sea Bass Brandade

•  Ingredients

1. Lbs Skinned and de-boned White Sea Bass

1. Lbs Yukon gold potatoes (larger the better for this recipe)

6. Ea whole eggs

1. Tsp celery seeds

1. Ea sliced clove of garlic

2. Tbsp fresh minced thyme

1/4. Cup heavy cream

1/2. Cup whole milk

3. Cups seasoned unbleached all - purpose flour

4. Cups pre-seasoned sour dough bread crumbs (Colombo brand works well)

1/2 Tbsp Spanish Paprika

1. Tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Tsp Tabasco

2.5 Cups white wine (only what you would drink)

2. Cups spring water

1. Ea bay leaf

3. Ea whole black pepper corns

2. Parsley stems about an inch long

1. Tsp grey sea salt

1. Lbs vegetable shortening

• Method of prep

Add white wine, spring water, pepper corns, bay leaf and parsley stem and garlic into a 4.qt sauce pan. Once liquid has come to a boil, turn down to a gentle rolling simmer, add in sea bass fillet (be careful not to splash down the fish into the pan). From this point on it should take about 10 - 15 minutes for the fish to cook. One way of telling the fish is cooked is, you place your hand over the simmering poaching liquid. Keep your hand open and allow the poaching vapors to pass by through your fingers. Make a fist and squeeze, slowly open your hand. You should experience a slight stickiness when you open your hand, ever so slight. This is the albumin vapors sticking together in your hand. Remove fish from poaching liquid with a fine mesh strainer or perforated spoon. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the poaching liquid and store it along with the fish. Keep fish in a holding vessel in the refrigerator, allow cooling down completely.

Start potatoes in cold water, bring to a boil, remove once almost fork tender.

Once potatoes are done, remove from water and allow airing cool in the refrigerator, after potatoes are cooled down, peeling gently with a small spoon, and being careful not to dig into the flesh of the potato. After fully peeled, pass through a box grater (not the food processor attachment) and gently grate into a fluffy pile on the mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together, minced thyme, celery seed, and 3. Whole eggs, heavy cream, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce.

At this point pull the cooled down fish from the refrigerator along with the poaching liquid that was saved. Gently flake the fish into the mixing bowl, along with the poaching liquid, followed by the grated potatoes. Return fish mixture to the refrigerator; allow setting for a 1.hour.

In three separate bowls, place, seasoned flour, seasoned bread crumbs and egg and milk mixture seasoned.

Remove fish mixture from cooler and portion into small 1.5-2. Oz balls. Once all the fish /potato mixture has been rolled out, place saran wrap over the product and chill for 1/2 hour in the freezer.

Remove par frozen fish balls from freezer, and begin the breading process. Keep once hand dry and the other wet. Follow this procedure. Seasoned flour first, then seasoned milk and egg mixture second, lastly roll in the seasoned bread crumbs.

Align all the fish balls on a parchment lined sheet pan. Remove a small portion of saran warp about 4 inch wide piece. Place a fish ball in the middle and bring up all four corners of the plastic wrap, twist tight until the fish ball resembles a loli pop. Unravel the plastic wrap, and you should have a perfectly form ball. After all the fish has gone through this process, be prepared to fry them off just for browning purposes not to fully cook them.

In a heavy bottomed shallow pan, good for frying, heat vegetable shortening to 400 degrees F. Slowly place the fish balls into the hot oil with the fine mesh strainer or perforated spoon, be careful not to splash hot oil. Turn the fish ball over after nicely browned on one side. Do the same to the other. Place onto a paper towel to absorb the oil. After all the balls are browned transfer back to the parchment lined sheet pan.

Place in a 375 degree F pre heated oven, and cook for 15 mins. Allow to cool a bit before you start popping them into your mouth (it will scorch the roof of your mouth)

Serve with a Saffron Mayo.