The Allure of Bass
Photography by Kit Noble
A New Hook on a Local Favorite
As the waters around Nantucket warm up and the island seems to be swimming in striped bass, private chef John Richard Eboli has taken a different approach on an old classic. For Eboli, who cut his teeth at Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin-star Manhattan restaurant Per Se preparing “Oysters and Pearls” and salmon tartare cones, experimenting with old-school dishes is often what it takes to breathe new life into something so tried-and-true. This recipe is one of those cases where the old maxim, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” has its limitations. Instead of a traditional sear in lemon and butter, Eboli places seared striped bass fillets on a bed of locally grown spring vegetables with a coconut-base broth, giving the dish a rich and balanced profile. Using local ingredients makes the difference with this one.
STRIPED BASS & SPRING VEGETABLE COCONUT BROTH
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
3 scallions, chopped (white parts only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons red curry paste (more if you like it spicy)
1 can (12 ounces) coconut milk
¼ cup water
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 small heads bok choy
4 medium carrots
2 cups chopped mushrooms (shiitake or oyster work best)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt, to taste
Cilantro leaves
4 six-ounce pieces of striped bass (halibut also works well)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the broth: In a saucepan on low-medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and let it heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic, ginger, scallion and a pinch of salt, stirring frequently for 2-5 minutes until slightly browned. Add the curry paste and stir, for 1-2 minutes. Deglaze with ¼ cup water and stir to remove anything that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer, before reducing the heat to a very low simmer, stirring occasionally for 1½ to2 hours. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it infuse for another hour.
- Blanch the bok choy: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Separately, prepare a small bowl of ice water. Slice the bok choy in half lengthwise and rinse with cold water to remove any dirt. Once the water reaches a boil, add a couple of generous pinches of salt and the bok choy. After 2 minutes, blanch the bok choy by placing it directly in the ice water. Remove the bok choy and place on a plate with a paper towel. Reserve the hot water and the ice bath for the carrot
- Prepare the carrots: Shave medium carrots on a mandoline or slice thinly with a sharp knife into ¼-inch rounds. Place the carrots in the boiling water for about 90 seconds, then blanch in the ice water. After a few minutes, remove the carrots and dry.
- Prepare the mushrooms: Heat a sauté pan on medium, with 1 tablespoon grapeseed or vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook until slightly browned, about 5 minutes, tossing frequently. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and place on a plate with a paper towel.
- Sear the fish: Heat a sauté pan on high for 1-2 minutes and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Lay the fish down(if it has skin, sear with skin side up) and sear for a few minutes until golden brown. Flip the fillets over and finish with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Remove from heat and let the fish rest in the pan for a couple of minutes.
- Plate the dish: Strain the broth through a sieve into a saucepan and add the lime juice, brown sugar and salt, to taste. Reheat the carrots, bok choy and mushrooms in the broth, bringing it to a quick simmer and removing the saucepan from the heat. Plate the broth and vegetables in a bowl, placing the fillet on top and garnishing with cilantro leaves.
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