Apple and Fennel Stuffed Sea Bass with Cider Reduction

I remember well the day Virginia, author of the food blog Sweet&Sour, told me she had prepared a sea bass that weekend that, in a very simple way, turned out picture-perfect. I, familiar with her recipes and photos as many of you already are, was dying to see the recipe. And here it is! Since I was left speechless, I won't say more. Just enjoy!

As much as I love fish, I confess I almost always enjoy it on the griddle or baked in the oven, nice and clean, without fats or slathering. In my region, that’s how we’re used to enjoying good ingredients. But it’s also true that I like to change things up and try new combinations of products.

At home, as I've told you many times, they are very traditional, the habit...., but it's also true that little by little they are opening up to try new products and combinations in classic dishes.

That's what happens with this Sea Bass stuffed with apple and fennel with Cider sauce. My other half fell head over heels for it!!! And don't think it was easy.

In this case, the combination of the cider, with its strong character, with the sweetness of the apple and the roasted fennel inside the sea bass, create a perfect pairing that your guests will hardly resist. Then the texture of the sea bass flesh does the rest: juicy yet firm, contrasted with the creaminess of the apple....

I used two single-portion sea bass, obviously farmed, because there are only two of us at home, but if you choose a good wild specimen, I can't answer for what your guests will say.

As you can see I roasted them in the Le Creuset roasting tray, which, with its non-stick surface, keeps these delicious sea bass from sticking to the bottom, even though, as you’ll see, we use only the thinnest thread of oil. What’s more, since it has a griddle at the base to distribute heat, it can be used as a griddle on glass-ceramic and induction cooktops. In fact, you could make this recipe in this tray directly on your glass-ceramic cooktop, but to my taste it turns out better and tastier in the oven.

Let's move on to the recipe which is simple but luxurious:

INGREDIENTS: (For 2-3 servings)

• 1 wild sea bass of 1,250 gr. or 2 farmed single-portion sea bass.
• 1 red apple (Red Delicious or Royal Gala)
• 1 fennel bulb
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 750 ml dry cider (not sweet and still)
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon crushed mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
• Salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

PREPARATION:

We start by preparing the cider reduction:

Put the cider in a medium saucepan with the crushed mustard seeds, the fennel seeds and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed peppercorns. Bring to a boil and let reduce over medium-high heat until it becomes a thick sauce similar to roast gravy. It will take about 30 minutes.

Remove from the heat, transfer to a small bowl and add 1 tablespoon of butter to give it shine and body. Keep warm.

Our cider reduction is ready, preheat the oven to 180ºC top and bottom heat.

Next we make the Apple and Fennel stuffing: It's important to choose red apples, because since we'll cook them with the skin on they will add a touch of color. They should be crisp apples with some sweetness to balance the acidity of the cider. The apples you see in the Kitchen Craft basket are Red Delicious and Royal Gala varieties, and in my opinion the best for this recipe.

Wash the apple and fennel well. Remove the top part of the fennel with the fronds and slice both into thin slices.

I like to do this process with the mandoline ultra from buyer, because it allows me to get slices of the same thickness that cook evenly. Choose a cutting thickness of about 3.4 mm using the guides on the mandoline in the upper area and place the blade on the smooth side. Place the apple or fennel on top and, using the safety pusher (which I didn't photograph so you can see the operation better, but you should use it so you don't cut yourself), slide the apple over the blade from top to bottom and repeat. In seconds the apple and fennel slices are ready and will fall directly onto the tray. And by the way, cleaning couldn't be easier.

Once the fennel and apple are sliced, put our Le Creuset skillet on the heat with 1 tablespoon of butter. When it has melted and is hot, add the apple and fennel slices and let cook over medium heat for about 6 or 7 minutes. Just long enough for them to cook slightly but still keep a bit of crunch. Set aside.

With our stuffing ready, let's prepare the sea bass:

First, if they haven't already done it at the fishmonger, scale it, open it, gut it and clean it very well. Remove the head and butterfly it, taking out the central bone.

If you're not very skilled with fish, it's better to have the fishmonger do it. It will cost them nothing and it will save us time and it surely won't turn out the same if we do it ourselves.

Next season with salt and pepper and glaze it with the cider reduction.

Stuff it with the apple and fennel slices and tie it well with butcher's twine so that it keeps its shape while cooking and the stuffing doesn't fall out.

Our sea bass are ready; season them on the outside as well and glaze with more cider reduction.

Brush the interior of our oven tray "Le Creuset", with a drizzle of oil using a silicone brush and place the two stuffed sea bass inside it.

Distribute the remaining cider reduction over the sea bass. Ready. Prepared to go into the oven.

Bake 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the sea bass. The flesh should be white, not translucent; that's how you know the fish is cooked. If in doubt, carefully open the thickest part of the sea bass and if that area is white, our sea bass is done. In any case, you should know that with fish, doneness is crucial and it's better not to overcook it, so it doesn't become dry and you can preserve the juicy texture we expect from sea bass flesh.

Take out of the oven, remove the twine that holds them and they're ready to enjoy.

Serve accompanied by an arugula and cherry tomato salad and, of course, a good cider.

A special and simple dish that, without excessive effort, will make you look like royalty in front of your guests. The sea bass flesh, juicy and firm with the strong touch of the cider reduction with mustard and fennel and the sweetness of the apple and fennel stuffing, make it an exquisite bite!!!

Tips

- You can also prepare this recipe with salmon or gilt-head bream.

- If you can't find mustard seeds, it would be a shame, but don't skip trying the recipe without them.

Enjoy.

Virginia