It was the first meal I prepared after our return from 3 weeks in Germany the day before. While we had enjoyed some very good seafood while we were there (Zander, Flußkrebs, Dorsch, Flußwels, Weißer Heilbutt, Schwertfisch, and Atlantischer Lachs are what I remember, but there may have been others, and Germany offers a huge variety), I hadn’t been able to cook any of it myself, and the variety of very fresh local fish available here, at the Union Square Greenmarket alone, presents a wonderful ‘pool’ for preparing some great meals.

 

• one Striped Bass fillet (about 14 ounces for the two of us) from P.E. & D.D. Seafood, scored with several very shallow slashes on the skin side, to prevent curling, placed in a black ceramic pan skin side down, scattered with lovage from Bodhitree Farms (alternatively almost any fresh herb could be used), salt, pepper, some homemade dry bread crumbs, and a drizzle of olive oil, the pan placed in a 425º oven for about 10 or 12 minutes, after which it was removed, divided into two pieces, before juice squeezed from an organic lemon from Whole Foods was drizzled over the top
• a large handful of tiny purple snow peas, with their flowers, from Norwich Meadows Farm, sautéed very briefly in olive oil, seasoned, and arranged around the filets
• the greens from a bunch of small purple-top turnips from Norwich Meadows Farm, washed, wilted in olive oil along with 4 small organic garlic cloves from Whole Foods which had been lightly-browned in the oil only just before, seasoned, and drizzled with olive oil
• the wine was a French (Chablis) white, La Chablisienne Pas Si Peti Petit Chablis 2014
• the music was from Q2 streaming (we were and are both too jet-lagged to remember what it was)