Seared Hazelnut Crusted Sea Bass with Curried Roasted Shallot-Tomato Sauce

By Peng Looi, Asiatique Restaurant

Fish:
12 pieces 8 oz fresh center cut seabass fillets
¼ cup quality Cajun seasoning
¼ cup virgin olive oil
1 cup lightly roasted hazelnut, crushed
½ cup Japanese panko

Vegetable:
2 cups baby bok choy stems, julienne
1 cup red pepper, julienne
1 cup yellow pepper, julienne
2 tablespoons minced ginger-garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:
12 cloves shallot, peeled and roasted in light butter
12 whole tomatos, quartered
3 tablespoons Indian curry powder
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Fish:
In a non-reactive shallow pan, mix Cajun seasoning and olive oil. Place fish fillets in pan and mix well. Set aside in refrigerator for 4 hours. Mix crushed roasted hazelnut and panko in bowl. Place 3 fillets in bowl to coat with dry mixture evenly. Add oil to heated skillet. Place coated fish and sear each side for about 4 mins for medium well. Repeat procedure for all remaining fillets.

Vegetable:
In a heated sauté pan, add 1 teaspoon oil and ginger-garlic mixture. Add all vegetables and seasoning. Remove while still crunchy.

Sauce:
In a deep saucepan, add 1 tablespoon oil and pinch of salt. Introduce roasted shallot and tomato. Then add sugar, curry powder and paprika. Stir for 5 mins and add dry white wine. Simmer in low heat to reduce by 15% volume. Liquefy mixture in blender and return to sauce pan. Bring mixture to simmer and add hazelnut oil. Turn off heat and stir in small pieces of unsalted butter. Salt and pepper to taste.

Assembly:
On a 12 -inch dinner plate, place sautéed vegetables in center. Ladle 2 oz sauce around vegetables. Place 1 piece fillet on vegetables and top with bright colored micro green like “red amarith”. Serve immediately.