Read Chef Jody Adams' insights into the experience of being a contestant on Bravo's Top Chefs Masters, here: Insights, Recipe from Chef Jody Adams Top Chefs Masters Contestant.
Zabaione or Zabaglione or Sabayon are different spellings of the light frothy custard-like confection that originated in the Piemonte region of Italy. Most often it is sweetened with sugar and served in a dessert. Here, Chef Adams uses Prosecco to egg yolks instead of sugar to bring a piquant note to the dressing for the fish.
Grilled Bass with Fennel and Prosecco Zabaione
Makes 4 main course servings
Ingredients:
- 1 sweet red pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ a small onion, cut into slices ¼-inch thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch teaspoon saffron
- ¼ teaspoon Spanish paprika
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rinsed and dried capers
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 large bulb fennel, sliced crosswise into ½ inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/3 bottle Prosecco
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 6-ounce pieces skin-on stripped bass
Technique:
To make the peppers:
- Roast the pepper over a hot grill or under a broiler until the skins are black and blistered. Put into a bowl and cover with a tea towel to steam while cooling. Peel the pepper. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, stem and any membrane. Slice the pepper into strips 1-inch wide.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, hot red pepper flakes, paprika and saffron and cook until the garlic releases its perfume, another couple of minutes. Add the peppers and sherry vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn the heat to low and cook another 3 minutes. Cool. Stir in 1 tablespoon mint. Set aside.
To make the herb relish:
- Mix the capers with the parsley, 1 tablespoon mint, and the olive oil.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Cover and refrigerate.
To make the fennel:
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Lay the fennel slices in one layer in a small baking pan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the lemon zest, thyme leaves, water and 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a small bowl. Pour over the fennel. Cover with parchment and then with foil.
- Bake about 1 hour, or until tender. By the time the fennel is done, the water should be absorbed.
To make the zabaione:
- In a small saucepan, reduce the prosecco to 3 tablespoons.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the reduced prosecco in a small bowl. Season with salt. Whisk the mixture until fluffy.
- Set the bowl over a water bath over medium heat and whisk until the mixture is light, foamy and lemony colored. This will take 10 minutes or so.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cover with a sheet of plastic and keep warm.
To make the fish:
- Preheat a grill. Season the fish with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil.
- Place the fish, skin-side down on the grill and cook for 5 minutes.
- Using a spatula, carefully flip the fish and cook on the second side for 5 minutes.
When the fish is cooking, warm the fennel and the peppers.
To serve, put a piece on fennel on each of 4 warm plates. Set the fish on top. Spoon the peppers next to the fish. Spoon the zabaione on top, and then drizzle the herb relish over the zabaione. Serve immediately.
Jacqueline Church - Award-winning writer, speaker, teacher on topics at the intersection of gourmet and sustainable food issues.
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