Striped Bass with Heirloom Tomato Scampi

Ingredients

• •2 tablespoons olive oil
• •4 fillets striped bass fillets (6 ounces each)
• •1 to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• •1 lemon Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• •½ bunch bunch thyme sprigs
• •3 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Oil (page 93)
• •6 cloves garlic cloves, finely chopped
• •2 shallots shallots, finely diced
• •1 tablespoon fennel seeds, toasted in a dry skillet
• •4 ribs celery ribs, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• •1 tablespoon drained, chopped capers
• •¼ cup dry white wine
• •1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• •1 lemon Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• •3 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, cut in wedges
• •1 cup tightly packed hand-torn fresh basil leaves

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 350°F.

   5 min

2. 2.

   In a large ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the fish liberally with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the lemon zest and juice. Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the fillets skin-side-down in the pan and let them cook, without moving them, until the skin is crisp and golden brown, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Give a light push to loosen the skin from the pan. Add the thyme sprigs to the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove fish from the oven and transfer to paper towels.

   10 min

3. 3.

   In a large skillet, heat the garlic oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallots, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and capers and cook until the celery has softened, about 2 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and cook until it is reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, tomatoes, and basil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate the flavors and heat the tomatoes through.

   8 min

4. 4.

   Serve the bass fillets topped with the tomato scampi.

   2 min