Dishes & Drams, Recipes

 Striped Bass Crudo, Popcorn Crema, Popcorn Dust, Shishito Vinaigrette

1 Pacifico Striped Bass Filet, skinned (about ½ pound)

1 cup Shishito Peppers, stemmed and sliced thin

2 large garlic cloves, finally chopped

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbs fresh lime juice

2 TBS tarragon, finely chopped

1 TBS parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Kosher Salt, to taste

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 Large Shallot, finely chopped

1 ½ cups heavy cream

4.5 cups popped popcorn

Maldon Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Microgreens

Fresno Peppers

Shishito Vinaigrette - Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the peppers and garlic and cook over low heat until peppers soften. This should take about three to four minutes. Whisk together vinegar, lime juice, tarragon, parsley and crushed red pepper. Scrape the peppers into the vinegar mixture. Season with salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to meld together.

Popcorn Crema - Melt the butter. Add the chopped shallot. Cook over low heat. Stir frequently for about three to four minutes. Add the cream and four cups of the popcorn (don’t forget to reserve the other half a cup!). Cook until the popcorn breaks down and the mixture turns creamy. This should take about 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape into a blender. Puree until smooth. Strain. Season to taste with salt. 

Popcorn Dust – Grind the remaining half cup of popcorn in a small coffee grinder with a dash of sea salt.

Plating the Dish - Slice the fish on the bias at about 1/8 inch think. Spread the crema on the plate. You want to get the flavor of the crema in each bite but don’t want it to overwhelm each piece. Shingle the fish on the crema. Dress the microgreens with the shishito vinaigrette and place to the side of the fish. Sprinkle with Popcorn Dust. Layer thin slices of the fresno peppers across each slice. Sprinkle Maldon Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper on top. 

Pic by @SV_Images. 

Zest of one lime

1 cup key lime juice

8 egg yolks

Two 14 ounce cans of sweetened condensed milk 

1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

5 tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together zest and yolk. Mix in milk, then juice. Set aside 20 minutes. Mix together crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press into pie pan. Bake crust 10 minutes. Pour thickened filling into crust. Bake 15-17 minutes, until center is set but wiggly. 

Shake and let sit overnight. Serve pie with whipped cream, dehydrated lime wheel and Lime Caramel Sauce

Pic by @SV_Images. 

8 large eggs, cold
1 pound high-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
16 tblsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup strong black coffee

2 Tbs raspberry liqueur

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper or wax paper and grease the sides of the pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with 2 sheets of heavy-duty foil and set it in a large roasting pan for a bain marie.

2. Beat the eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer at high speed until the volume doubles. I set it for exactly 10 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and the butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water or use the microwave. Add the coffee and Liqueur. Let cool.

4. Pour the chocolate into the blender while it is beating the eggs. You may need to slow down the speed.

5. Spray four ounce ramekins with non-stick cooking spray. Bake until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie), about 12-16 minutes. 

6. Let cool slight. Remove the cake pan from the hot water bath and set on a wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow.

Pic by @SV_Images.