Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Wine Sauce

Chilean Sea Bass is my first choice whenever I see it on a menu at a restaurant. I've had it prepared so many ways, and it's always delicious! Chilean Sea Bass is wonderful on its own, simply sauteed in a small amount of olive oil and butter, but it also takes well to many sauces. This is one of my favorite sauces, simple, healthy, yet full of flavor. 

Ingredients: 

1-1/4 lb Chilean Sea Bass

1 tsp butter

1 tsp olive oil

2 lemons, 1 sliced, the other juiced

1/4 cup white wine, I used savignon blanc

1 additional tsp butter

2 Tbs capers 

2 Tbs fresh parsley or basil

Directions: Heat the butter and the olive oil in a skillet placed over medium heat. Add the lemon slices and cook until slightly brown, then turning to brown the other side. Remove the lemon slices. Add the seabass to the skillet and cook for about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Perfectly cooked seabass will flake easily and will be opaque all the way through. Remove the cooked fish from the pan, covering it to keep it warm. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the white wine, lemon juice, the additional butter and capers. Swirl until the butter melts and the liquids simmer for about 30 seconds. The sauce will thicken slightly. To serve, cut a medallion of fish, top with a lemon slice, then some of the sauce. Garnish with parsley or basil. 

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Let's talk about sustainable fish. I keep tabs on the seafood watch, as it changes from time to time. Sea Bass is a tender white fish, that retains its firmness and has a subtle flavor. Giant sea bass from the Pacific are still close to endangered and should be avoided, but Chilean Sea Bass is managed and is considered a viable option by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. It's a bit pricey but is absolutely delicious for a special occasion ... or when I find it in the fish section at Costco! 

Vegetable Biryani

Biryani is a rice dish with mixed vegetables, spices, and sometimes meat. It is thought to have originated in either India or Persia, and is enjoyed throughout both areas. I enjoy it here in the US, as many do! I most frequently make this as a hearty side dish with plenty of vegetables, and that is the version you'll see here today. I use whatever veggies I have on hand - carrots, green beans, peas, onions, peppers. The one constant is rice. I almost always use basmati rice, but really any kind of rice will yield delicious results.  

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup basmati rice

1 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)

1/4 cup diced onion

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

1 Anaheim chili, seeds removed, and diced

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 pinch saffron

1/2 cup green beans, ends removed and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces

1 tsp butter

2 Tbs chopped mint

2 Tbs chopped cilantro

1 Tbs chives, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Directions: 

Place rice through saffron in a rice cooker or a small saucepan set over medium heat. If using the saucepan, bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. If using the rice cooker, cook until done. Add the green beans and butter, then stir to combine. Replace the cover and let the rice steam for another 5 minutes. Serve, topping each serving with some of the mint, cilantro and chives. 

Serves 2 (generously)

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Biryani is usually made by cooking the vegetables first, then adding a layer of cooked rice, finished with a layer of spicy sauce. I've simplified this by simply putting everything in one pot. True, it's similar to a pilaf, but the end result is delicious, so I'm okay with that!