Tag: spring onions

sea bass, spring onions, Russian kale

dinner, 6/11/11

I can’t say enough about the quality of the ingredients which went into this meal – or its success.  It was very easy to prepare:  I finished the onions and the kale mostly before putting the very beautiful lattice-marked, pink-fleshed fillets into the pan for just three minutes (two for the lightly-floured skin side, then one more for the other).

Although the bass was joined by what may not have been an obvious choice of vegetables, everything came together beautifully, the wine ennobling all.  Simply delicious.

  • small black sea bass fillets (Eastern Long Island waters) from Riverhead’s P.E. & D.D. Seafood in the Union Square Greenmarket, quickly-sauteed then finished with a bit of oil, a squeeze of lemon and some chopped lovage;  accompanied by sweet, juicy spring onions, also from the Greenmarket (Muddy River Farm in Goshen, New York), which were sliced in half and rolled in oil and salt and pepper, then pan-grilled and finished with a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar; and small leaves of Red Russian Kale, from Lani’s Farm (again, the Greenmarket), wilted in oil which had first been heated with bruised whole garlic cloves, then finished with salt and pepper and a few dabs of oil.
  • Wine: French Chenin Blanc, a Saumur, Val de Loire Reserve des Vignerons 2010, from Astor Wines

dinner, April 8, 2009

  • top loin steak, grilled, then immediately spread with finely-chopped shallots, oil, lemon and thyme;   served with grilled spring onions finished with a splash of balsamic vinegar and chopped parsley);  also parboiled haricots verts re-heated in oil with a little bruised garlic, then sprinkled with champagne vinegar (all major ingredients from Whole Foods)
  • wine: Marques de Cáceres Rioja Crianza 2005, a gift

dinner, March 27, 2009

  • grilled swordfish steak, from Whole Foods (as were the vegetables), prepared Sicilian Salmoriglio style (slice one steak into two 1/2 inch thick pieces, grill each on ridged, cast iron pan 2 minutes on the first side, 1 1/2 minutes on the other, then remove from the pan and prick several times with a fork, covering surface of steaks with a mixture of salt, scant one tbs lemon, and pepper, which has been emulsified with scant 2 tbs oil);   grilled spring/bulb onions (divide into quarters, brush with oil and season with salt and pepper, grill each side on a ridged, cast iron pan, remove and add balsamic vinegar or lemon and, optionally, chopped parsley);  crispy red potato chips prepared in the oven (unpeeled, sliced very thin, mixed with oil, salt and pepper, chopped fresh rosemary, spread in one layer on two unglazed stoneware trays, put into a 450-500 degree oven for fifteen minutes, turning once)
  • wine:  Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Marlborough (New Zealand)