Serves 6

6 - 7 ounce sea bass filets, trimmed of skin
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons canola oil
Orange Fennel Sauce, recipe to follow
Artichoke Puree, recipe to follow
Fresh fried parsley as garnish

Preheat oven to 400°.

Season fish with salt to taste. 

Heat oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan over high heat.  Place fish in pan and sauté for 2 minutes.  Turn fish, spoon Orange-Fennel Sauce over top and place pan in oven for 4 minutes or until opaque.  Allow no more than 6 minutes total cooking time for each _ inch thickness at thickest part.  Do not overcook.  The fish should be very moist.

Place artichoke puree in the center of each warm plate.  Arrange fish on top of puree.  Garnish with potatoes at 10 o'clock position and sauce around rim of plate next to lamb.  Garnish with flash fried parsley sprig. Serve immediately.


ORANGE-FENNEL SAUCE

 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped leeks
2 tablespoons chopped celery
_ cup chopped fresh fennel bulb
_ tablespoon fennel seed
_ tablespoon black peppercorns
1 cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth
6 cups orange juice
3 tablespoons butter, softened
 

In a medium saucepot sauté vegetables until tender.  Deglaze pan with white wine and reduce by half.  Add chicken broth and reduce by half.  In a separate pot reduce orange juice down to 1 cup.  Add to other pot and strain.  Off the fire, whip in butter.  Serve over sea bass, halibut or any firm fleshed fish.






ARTICHOKE PUREE

12 artichokes, cooked in lemon water until well done
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and lemon juice to taste

Clean all leaves and choke from artichoke.  Place hearts and stems in food processor and process until smooth.  Add butter, salt and lemon juice to taste.  If necessary, heat slowly over low heat until hot or keep warm until fish is ready.

Dean Fearing