Crab-Crusted Chilean Sea Bass with Red Pepper Compote

Submitted by Todd Rogers, Executive Chef, Sea Island Resorts, St. Simons Island, Ga,

by C&RB Staff (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
January 2008
 

Yield: 4 servings

Amt Ingredients
½ cup cream cheese
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 ea. egg yolk
2 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
to taste kosher salt and pepper
2 oz. blue crab meat
¼ cup canola oil
1 ea. chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp. chopped shallots
1 cup chicken stock
3 tbsp. sherry vinegar
1 ea. 7-oz. portion of Chilean sea bass

For Garnish:

as needed thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers and micro greens tossed in olive

oil and sherry vinegar

For the crab gratin:

· Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, egg yolk, Old Bay and mustard in a small mixing bowl

· Season above mixture with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

· Gently fold jumbo lump crab meat (be careful not to break lumps)

For the red bell pepper compote:

· In a small, heavy-bottom sauce pot, over medium heat, add half the amount of Canola oil and allow the oil to ripple across the bottom of the pot

· Add the chopped peppers and shallots to the pot, sweating them together and being careful to allow any caramelization

· Add chicken stock and bring to a rapid boil for three minutes; reduce to a simmer for the remainder of the cooking process

· Continue to simmer until peppers are tender and the stock as reduced

· Place in blender and puree with sherry vinegar

· Strain through a chinois

· Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

· Reserve hot for plating

Procedure:

• Remove fish from refrigeration, allowing it to lose its chill
• Preheat over to 375°F degrees
• Preheat a nine-inch, heavy-bottom sauté pan over medium-high heat
• When the pan begins to smoke, add the remainder of the canola oil and allow the oil to ripple across the bottom of the pan
• Season the sea bass with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• Pan-sear sea bass until golden brown on each side
• Place sea bass in a baking dish; top sea bass with crab gratin mixture
• Place in pre-heated, 375°F oven and finish until fish just begins to flake and is cooked through

Plating:

• Place a pool of the red bell pepper compote in the middle of a bowl
• Place the fish on top of the compote
• Garnish the top of the crab-encrusted sea bass with thinly sliced red and yellow bell peppers and micro greens tossed in olive oil and sherry vinegar