Baja Sea Bass

Baja Sea Bass
Recipe by Terranea Resort Executive Chef
Andrew Vaughan

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy in partnership with Terranea Resort recently hosted their annual Palos Verdes Pastoral Garden-to-Table Dining Experience. This year Pastoral highlighted the necessity of butterflies, bees, birds and other pollinators.

Sustainable food proponent, Chef Andrew Vaughan, created the event’s garden-to-table menu using the finest local sustainable seafood and the freshest ingredients and flavors to present delicious and thoughtful Low Carbon Footprint courses paired with an inspired selection of wines. (from PVPLC.org)

The fish, Farmed True Striped Bass (aka Baja Sea Bass) has beautiful striped skin. The meat is white with a reddish-pink bloodline. It has a higher fat content than wild fish, providing excellent taste and texture.

This sushi-quality fish can be enjoyed raw, or in any variety of cooked applications. It is harvested to order from a small, responsibly run farm just off Ensenada, Mexico. (from Santa Monica Seafood)

The Chef graciously shares his recipe for Baja Sea Bass Cooked in Freshly Harvested Giant Kelp below. Merci beaucoup and muchas gracias, Chef!

The Recipe

Baja Sea Bass Cooked in Freshly Harvested Giant Kelp
Dried Cherries, Zucchini, Heirloom Faro and Black Quinoa Pilaf
Sunflower Seeds, Preserved Mandarin with Desert Sage

Recipe:
6 oz Sea Bass Filet Skin On
4 oz Sea Kelp
Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon
1 each Bay Leaf
1 quart Water
Sea Salt to Taste

The Process:
Place water in Sauce pot and season with sea salt to taste. Add Bay Leaf, Lemon, and Sea Kelp and Bring Water to a rapid Boil. Once water is at a rolling boil place Sea Bass in water and remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes gently remove from Broth and pat dry. Reserve the Broth for the Mandarin Sauce. Heat Saute Pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place the bass skin side down and allow to become crispy and golden Brown. Cook on Medium heat for 7 minutes. Flip the bass and allow the fish to continue to cook to your desired doneness.

Grain Cooking Method
The following method can be applied to cooking the Black Quinoa and The Faro. Please note to cook them separately. This base recipe will ensure you have your grains properly cooked.

1 cup grains
3 cups Water
1 Bay Leaf
Sea Salt to taste

The Process:
Combine water, Sea Salt, and Bay Leaf. Bring to a boil then slowly add 1 cup of your grains. Ensure the grains are cooking under a rolling boil and be sure to stir constantly with a wooden spoon. If your water tends to reduce and absorb into the grains simply add a small amount of water to continue the rolling boil. Cook grains to your desired doneness and strain immediately. Discard Bay Leaf and Transfer to mixing bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon of your favorite extra virgin olive oil.

Heirloom Faro and Black Quinoa Pilaf

Recipe:
1 cup Cooked Faro
1 cup Cooked Black Quinoa
1 cup chopped Parsley
1 each Zucchini Seeded Small Diced and blanched
Juice and Zest of 4 Mandarin Oranges
3 oz Dried Cherries Rough Chopped
¼ cup lightly Toasted Sunflower Seeds
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Process:
Combine all ingredients and season to taste. Lightly warm or serve at room temperature.

Preserved Mandarin Glaze

1 cup Mandarin Juice
1 Tablespoon Ground Turmeric
2 cups Sugar
4 sprigs of Desert Sage

The Process:
Combine Mandarin Juice, Turmeric, and Sugar in sauce pot. Slowly Bring to a boil and lightly Simmer and reduce by half. Add fresh Sage and steep for 5 minutes. Strain through fine mesh strainer.

To assemble dish place grain pilaf on warm plate, top grains with seared Bass and drizzle fish with one teaspoon of Mandarin Glaze. Garnish with Hibiscus Flowers.

The Wine Paired with The Sea Bass

Cambria Estate Winery
Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2020

Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay is an ocean influenced, single vineyard expression of “refrigerated sunshine” in a glass – layered, elegant, distinct – from Santa Maria Valley in Santa Barbara County, California.

Fresh fruit and floral aromas dominate the nose and palate; white peach, lemon zest, pear, Granny Smith apple and citrus blossoms. The oak influence creates a nice mid-palate, the wine shows a balanced acidity that carries through the long finish.

The vineyard, named for Katie Jackson in 1986, consists of ancient soils with fossilized seashells, shale, limestone and sand, with fog swept vines that have endured since the 1970s. (from Cambria Wines)

More Palos Verdes Pastoral

Read about this absolutely enchanting event and see images of all the other fabulous courses by Chef Andrew Vaughan here.