Miso Marinaded Sea Bass with Brussel Sprouts Braised in Cream
My brother-in-law caught his limit on Sea Bass on a recent fishing trip so I happily agreed to take some off his hands. This also meant that I needed to eat the fish almost immediately so we had a small dinner party. The fact that it occurred on Good Friday and we were eating fish just happened to be a nice coincidence.
Miso Marinaded Sea Bass
Ingredients:
4 T yellow miso
1/2 C sake
2 T mirin
3 T soy sauce
2 T packed brown sugar
6 6-oz sea bass fillets (about 3/4 inch thick)
2 T olive oil
6 to 8 basil leaves, stacked and sliced into thin strips
Thoroughly combine the first six ingredients in a shallow dish or ziplock bag and marinade the fish for at least 2 hours or overnight for the most flavorful results. Since the fish cooks in about 10 minutes, you should have the other food already in progress before starting. In a 12 inch non-stick ovenproof skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat and add the fish in a single layer. Cover immediately to prevent splattering. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the fish begins to look opaque. Uncover and place the entire skillet under the broiler (about 6 inches below the broiler) and cook with the oven door ajar for about 6-8 minutes or until the top of the fillets begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the tops. Serve immediately with rice and Brussel Sprouts.
Brussel Sprouts Braised in Cream
Ingredients:
1 pound small Brussel Sprouts with stems trimmed
1 C heavy cream
½ t. salt
Pinch of nutmeg
Ground black pepper
In a 3 qt. saute pan with a cover, add the brussel sprouts, cream and salt. You should be able to place the sprouts in a single layer. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally to redistribute the sprouts. Cook for 10-12 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of a sprout meets no resistance. Season with nutmeg and black pepper to taste and serve immediately. Don’t discard the leftover cream as it can be reduced to a nice sauce.
Wine Pairing
I find that fish is sometimes a difficult food to pair with wine. Some fish, such as Salmon, is rich and fatty and goes well with full-bodied whites and lighter reds. But when you’re pairing with a dinner, keep in mind the entire dinner and not just the entrée. Because of the combination of the flavorful miso marinade and the strong flavor of the brussel sprouts a full-bodied Chardonnay would have been a good wine pairing, but since we finished off the Chardonnay with the Mussels in Wine and Garlic, I decided to try an appropriate red wine. That ended up being a 2006 Namasté Reserve Cuvée Pinot Noir. Light enough not to overpower the delicate flavor of the fish but also enough acidity and tannins to cleanse the palette of the brussel sprouts and cream.
Copyright © 2009, Eric Hwang and BricksOfWine. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eric Hwang and BricksOfWine with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
