PAN FRIED SEA BASS WITH HARISSA AND ROSES

I took a leap of faith and went exotic with this recipe. It started with spreading spicy African harissa paste and cumin on my sea bass. I let it marinate for a few hours. With a quick dusting of flour on my fish I pan fried it. This was really tasty right out of the pan.The harissa gave it a nice kick and paired perfectly with my bass. It was hard not to devour it. Now, back to the exotic....a sauce made with onions, vinegar, cinnamon, honey, currants, and rose water, spooned on the fish and then topped with cilantro and dried rose petals. It was sweet and sour, a little bit spicy and had a beautiful aroma of roses. Eating dried rose petals is just.... so....sexy!

PAN FRIED SEA BASS WITH HARISSA AND ROSE

3 tbsp harissa paste (store-bought...)
1 tsp ground cumin
4 sea bass fillets, about 1 lb / 450 g in total, skinned and with pin bones removed
all-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 tbsp / 100 ml red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
scant 1 cup / 200 ml water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rose water
scant cup / 60 g currants (optional)
2 tbsp coarsely chopped cilantro (optional)
2 tsp small dried edible rose petals
salt and freshly ground black pepper

First marinate the fish. Mix together half the harissa paste, the ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over the fish fillets and leave them to marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.

Dust the fillets with a little flour and shake off the excess. Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the fillets for 2 minutes on each side. You may need to do this in two batches. Set the fish aside, leave the oil in the pan, and add the onions. Stir as you cook for about 8 minutes, until the onions are golden.

Add the remaining harissa, the vinegar, the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of black pepper. Pour in the water, lower the heat, and let the sauce simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until quite thick.

Add the honey and rose water to the pan along with the currants, if using, and simmer gently for a couple more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning and then return the fish fillets to the pan; you can slightly overlap them if they don’t quite fit. Spoon the sauce over the fish and leave them to warm up in the simmering sauce for 3 minutes; you may need to add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is very thick.

Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with the cilantro, if using, and the rose petals.

Recipe from Jerusalem a Cookbook

CRISPY CAULIFLOWER CAKES WITH HERB SAUCE AND ARUGULA SALAD

Want to WOW both vegetarians and carnivores alike? Give this dish a whirl. Cauliflower, potato and shallots are roasted until tender and brown. With a quick pulse in the food processor they become soft and fluffy. Add some cheese, egg and spices, coat with Panko and Parmesan and bake in the oven until brown and crispy. Serve on a bed of arugula and tomato and top each cake with a lively sauce of sour cream, chives, parsley and garlic. Want a party in your mouth? Take a little bit of everything in one bite!

CRISPY CAULIFLOWER CAKES WITH HERB SAUCE AND ARUGULA SALAD

      Cakes:

• 12 ounces cauliflower florets
• 1 (10-ounce) peeled baking potato, cut into 4 wedges
• 2 large shallots, halved lengthwise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise (such as Hellmann's)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:

• 4 cups baby arugula
• 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare cakes, place cauliflower, potato, and shallots on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over vegetables; toss. Bake at 400° for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring once. Place cauliflower mixture in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until chopped. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Add fontina, thyme, salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and egg, stirring well.

3. Combine Panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a shallow dish. Using wet hands, shape cauliflower mixture into 8 (1-inch-thick) patties; dredge in Panko mixture. Place patties on baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until browned, turning once.

4. To prepare sauce, combine sour cream and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl.

5. To prepare salad, combine arugula, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons oil, and juice; toss well to coat. Place 1 cup arugula mixture on each of 4 plates; top with 2 cakes and 1 tablespoon herb sauce.

*To toast panko, place in a large skillet, and cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.

Recipe from Cooking Light