Smoked Salt & Lime-Rubbed Striped Bass with Spring Peas, Radish, Coconut Green Curry & Cilantro Coconut Gremolata

This dish screams spring, from the zesty lime and cilantro to the beautiful bright colors of the radish and peas. One thing I like to do as soon as spring hits is bring more lightness to my meals since the weather is warmer. I also like to play with the idea of a dish being hot and cold to add interest. I often accomplish that by removing starch and introducing a leafy vegetable instead, such as pea shoots and arugula. The fresh, herbaceous notes of the peas bounce off the pepperiness of the arugula. The cilantro and coconut couple well with them, bridging the gap between all the ingredients. This dish is loaded with tiny garnishes such as lime-pickled shallots and serrano that bring forward the flavors of the coconut green curry sauce.

Day 1: Prepare the Striped Bass, Coconut Green Curry Sauce, Lime Pickled Radish, Shallot & Chili

Preparing the Striped Bass

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: The secret to ultra-crispy skin when searing fish is drying the skin overnight before cooking. I do this by adding seasoning (in this case, salt and lime zest), then simply putting the seasoned fish on a plate uncovered overnight under refrigeration .

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes, plus time left out overnight

Ingredients:

• 2 striped bass filets, about 6 oz. each (ask your local fish monger portion the fish)
• 2 teaspoons smoked salt
• 1 lime, zested with juice reserved for later use

Step by Step

1. Lay the striped bass filets on a cutting board
2. With a sharp knife, “score” or cut five slits on the surface of the fish, being careful not to cut too far into the flesh

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: Scoring the surface of any protein helps the seasoning penetrate the meat, prevents the skin from curling and encourages fat to render, thereby creating more delicious crispy bits.

• Season each filet with 1 teaspoon of smoked salt and half the lime zest, making sure to rub the seasoning into the score marks
• Let the seasoned fish sit out overnight under refrigeration to dry the skin out

Green Curry Paste

Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes

Special Equipment: Food processor or mortar and pestle

Ingredients:

• 2 to 4 serrano chiles, roughly chopped, de-stemmed and seeded (depending on how spicy you like things)
• 2 medium shallots, roughly chopped
• 2 lemongrass stalks, with tender parts thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons galangal, finely chopped
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cup packed fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or peanut oil
• 2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (optional)

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: Support your local farmers in the summertime when many of these ingredients are in peak season. You can make a large batch of this green curry paste and freeze it in little bags so it’s ready to use when you’re ready! Ingredients like galangal, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass can be purchased at your local Asian market.

Step by Step

1. Place everything into a food processor and blend until smooth
2. Enjoy right away or place into small bags and freeze for next time

Coconut Green Curry Sauce

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 to 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup green curry paste, recipe above (store bought is fine)
• 1 can coconut milk, well shaken
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 1 lime, juiced

Step by Step

Toast the Green Curry Paste

1. Warm the grapeseed oil in a medium sauce pot over medium heat

2. Add green curry paste

3. Sauté the paste for 1 to 3 minutes to bring out the flavors

In Goes the Coconut Milk

• Pour coconut milk into the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer

Simmer the Coconut Milk

• Simmer the coconut milk until half has evaporated
• Once the coconut is finished reducing, turn off the heat and let cool
• Store in an airtight container overnight to allow the flavors to meld together

Lime Pickled Radish, Shallot & Serrano Chili

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Time in Refrigerator: Overnight, 4 to 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 lime, juice
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 to 1 serrano chili, thinly sliced
• Pinch of salt

Step by Step

Salt the Vegetables

1. Add the thinly sliced radish, shallot, serrano chili and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl
2. Let the vegetables sit on the salt for 5 minutes

Marinate the Vegetables

• Add lime juice and mix to incorporate it
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight

Day 2, Meal Day: Making the Gremolata, Fish, Peas & Salad

Cilantro Coconut Gremolata

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 limes, zested
• Salt, to taste

Step by Step

1. Start finely chopping the cilantro
2. Add unsweetened coconut flakes to the cilantro and continue chopping until finely chopped
3. Place the mixture into a small bowl
4. Grate the limes and add it to the mixture
5. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste

Snow Peas & Sugar Snap Peas

Prep Time: 10 to 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes or less

Ingredients:

• 1 cup snow peas
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• Water
• Ice
• Salt

Step by Step

Prepping the Peas

1. Clean both peas by snapping off the tough end with your fingers, then pull the string along the length of pod and repeat to remove the string from the other side
2. Prepare an ice bath (equal parts water and ice) in a large bowl

Precook the Peas (Blanching)

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil
• Add a healthy pinch of salt to the water
• Add both peas to the salted boiling water for 15 seconds, just long enough to bring out their bright green color

Shock the Peas

• Quickly remove the peas from the water and plunge into the ice bath to halt cooking
• The peas should still be somewhat raw and crunchy

Cook the Striped Bass

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Special Equipment: Cast iron pan or heavyweight sauté pan, large spatula

Ingredients:

• 2 striped bass filets, seasoned (instructions above)
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Step by Step

1. Heat grapeseed oil in the pan over medium-high heat until light wisps of smoke rise from the pan, indicating the pan is hot enough
2. Carefully lay the striped bass (skin side down) in the pan away from you so the oil doesn’t splash you
3. Cook for 30 seconds, then press lightly on the flesh to ensure the skin is in contact with the pan to get a crispy skin

4. Let the fish cook 80% of the way, adjusting the heat if needed to prevent burning

5. Then, turn off the heat, flip the fish over, and let the residual heat from the pan finish cooking the fish the rest of the 20%

Farm2ChefsTable Tip: You can tell when fish is done cooking when the edges begin to turn white. If the edges of the flesh are half white, it’s most likely only half cooked.

Pea Shoot & Arugula Salad

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups pea shoots
• 1 cup arugula
• The whole lot of lime pickled radish, shallot, and serrano chili
• All the Cooked snow peas and sugar snaps (recipe above)
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, without stems
• Salt, as needed

Step by Step

1. Toss everything together in a large bowl
2. Adjust the seasoning with salt, if needed
3. Enjoy with the striped bass

Finalize & Assemble the Dish

Ingredients:

• 1 lime, juiced
• Coconut green curry sauce (recipe above)
• Cooked striped bass (recipe above)
• Pea shoot and arugula salad (recipe above)
• Cilantro and coconut gremolata (recipe above)

Step by Step

1. In a small sauce pot, rewarm the coconut green curry sauce over medium-low heat
2. Add a bit of lime juice to brighten up the coconut green curry sauce
3. Spoon sauce onto a large plate
4. Place the cooked fish on top of the sauce
5. Place the pea shoot and arugula salad around the fish, allowing the fish to peak through the greens
6. Finally, sprinkle the gremolata all over the fish
7. Enjoy with your family or friends!

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