Pistachio Sea Bass With Crab Salad

Serves: 6

Roxane Raynor

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

48

Spice

47

Sweetness

43

Sourness

41

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.5

Difficulty

Ingredients:

2 tbsps

Vegetable Oil

Directions:

1

Make crab salad: Blanch sea bean tips in a small saucepan of boiling salted water 30 seconds, then drain in a sieve and pat dry

2

Reserve 1/4 cup sea bean tips for garnish, then stir together remaining tips with crab and scallions

3

Stir together lime juice and curry powder in a small bowl, then pour over crab and toss well

4

Add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine

5

Blanch sea bean tips in a small saucepan of boiling salted water 30 seconds, then drain in a sieve and pat dry

6

Reserve 1/4 cup sea bean tips for garnish, then stir together remaining tips with crab and scallions

7

Stir together lime juice and curry powder in a small bowl, then pour over crab and toss well

8

Add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine

9

Prepare and cook fish: Cut 1 sea bass fillet in half crosswise (each piece should measure about 4 by 3 inches)

10

Season skinned sides of both halves lightly with salt, then stack pieces, skinned sides together, to form a "steak

11

" Brush top generously with egg white and top evenly with about 2 tablespoons pistachios, pressing to adhere

12

Assemble 5 more servings in same manner

13

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

14

Fold 1 sheet of parchment in half crosswise and, starting at 1 end of crease, cut out a half heart shape, keeping vertical crease as long as possible

15

Unfold heart and arrange on a work surface with point nearest you, then place a fish steak just to 1 side of crease

16

Fold other half of heart over fish to enclose and, starting at top of crease, turn in edges of parchment in overlapping folds, about 1 inch apart, pressing each fold firmly as you go, to form a tight seal

17

Tuck last fold under packet and secure with a paper clip

18

Make 5 more packets in same manner

19

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear 2 fish packets, starting with nut sides down, until nuts are pale golden, about 30 seconds (watch closely, as nuts burn easily)

20

Carefully turn packets over with a slotted metal spatula and sear until fish is golden, about 2 minutes

21

Transfer seared packets, nut sides up, with spatula to baking sheet

22

Sear remaining packets in same manner, adding more oil to skillet as needed

23

Bake packets until fish is just cooked through, about 13 minutes

24

While fish bakes, divide crab salad among 6 plates, arranging in center as a bed for fish

25

Cut open each packet and lightly brush top (nut side) with 1 teaspoon pistachio oil, then sprinkle with fleur de sel

26

Carefully transfer fish with spatula to crab salad, discarding parchment, and pour coconut sauce around fish

27

Sprinkle each with reserved sea bean tips

28

Cut 1 sea bass fillet in half crosswise (each piece should measure about 4 by 3 inches)

29

Season skinned sides of both halves lightly with salt, then stack pieces, skinned sides together, to form a "steak

30

" Brush top generously with egg white and top evenly with about 2 tablespoons pistachios, pressing to adhere

31

Assemble 5 more servings in same manner

32

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F

33

Fold 1 sheet of parchment in half crosswise and, starting at 1 end of crease, cut out a half heart shape, keeping vertical crease as long as possible

34

Unfold heart and arrange on a work surface with point nearest you, then place a fish steak just to 1 side of crease

35

Fold other half of heart over fish to enclose and, starting at top of crease, turn in edges of parchment in overlapping folds, about 1 inch apart, pressing each fold firmly as you go, to form a tight seal

36

Tuck last fold under packet and secure with a paper clip

37

Make 5 more packets in same manner

38

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear 2 fish packets, starting with nut sides down, until nuts are pale golden, about 30 seconds (watch closely, as nuts burn easily)

39

Carefully turn packets over with a slotted metal spatula and sear until fish is golden, about 2 minutes

40

Transfer seared packets, nut sides up, with spatula to baking sheet

41

Sear remaining packets in same manner, adding more oil to skillet as needed

42

Bake packets until fish is just cooked through, about 13 minutes

43

While fish bakes, divide crab salad among 6 plates, arranging in center as a bed for fish

44

Cut open each packet and lightly brush top (nut side) with 1 teaspoon pistachio oil, then sprinkle with fleur de sel

45

Carefully transfer fish with spatula to crab salad, discarding parchment, and pour coconut sauce around fish

46

Sprinkle each with reserved sea bean tips