About
The 'Top End' of Australia is home to crocodiles, fresh water sharks, water buffalo and other wildlife that Eric encounters along his journey. Eric’s adventure takes him by boat up the Mary River then by helicopter to a remote fishing spot where he will try to reel in a prized barramundi...all the while avoiding becoming dinner himself. Inspired by his wildlife adventures, Eric will prepare Striped Bass with Green Papaya Salad and Blood Orange with a Citrus Vinaigrette.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 F
In a small saucepot, combine the blood orange juice, navel orange juice, shallot and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce the juice by about half, until it starts to have a thick consistency. Reduce to heat to low simmer and slowly drizzle the extra virgin olive oil in while whisking the reduced juice, creating an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
To make the salad, cut the green papaya into manageable, stable pieces and thinly slice into julienne. Add to a bowl and combine with the carrot, onion, cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together and set aside.
Divide the canola oil between 2 oven-proof sauté pans set over medium-high and heat until the oil is very hot but not smoking. Season the striped bass on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the striped bass in the pans (2 in each), presentation side down, and sear until golden brown. Turn the fish over and put the pans in the oven for 2-3 minutes, or until a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and, when left in for 5 seconds, feels warm when touched to the lip. If the striped bass is only 1-inch or thinner the fish can be cooked all the way on the stove top, without going into the oven. While the striped bass is cooking, reheat the sauce, whisking over low heat.
To serve, arrange a bit of the green papaya salad in a nice pile, in the center of four plates. Place the striped bass on the piles and put a little more of the salad on top of each piece of fish. Spoon the sauce around the fish, and serve immediately.
Ingredients
Note: When choosing the fish filets for this dish, try to get uniform filets cut from the head-end of the fish. These filets will be about 1 ½ to 2 inches thick. If you can only find thinner, tail filets, then you will need to cut the cooking time a bit or simply cook the fish completely on the stove rather than finishing it off in the oven.
3ea blood oranges, juiced
3ea navel oranges, juiced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons shallot, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 green papaya, peeled and seeded
½ carrot, julienne
¼ small red onion, thinly julienne
10 leaves cilantro, chiffonade
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4ea 6 ounce filets striped bass, skin off, cleaned of blood line
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
