Loup de Mer
Sea Bass, Artichokes, Mussel Velouté, Tomato Sofrito, Green Almonds, Olives, Fennel, Basil
Chef Nathan Kim of Obélix | Chicago
Adapted by StarChefs | august 2024
INGREDIENTS
Marinated Green Almonds:
500 grams thinly sliced green almond
200 grams Sherry vinegar
100 grams olive oil
15 grams kosher salt
Tomato Sofrito:
200 grams rice bran oil
100 grams diced fennel
100 grams diced shallot
75 grams minced garlic
100 grams minced ginger
100 grams diced red onion
Kosher salt
125 grams Shaoxing wine
75 grams gochujang
50 grams doenjang
100 grams tomato paste
50 grams dark brown sugar
100 grams Sherry vinegar
50 grams apple cider vinegar
10 grams gochugaru
Mussel Velouté:
Neutral oil
200 grams thinly sliced fennel
100 grams thinly sliced carrot
200 grams thinly sliced shallot
30 grams thinly sliced garlic
300 grams Gewürztraminer
6 pounds extra large Prince Edward Island mussels
1 kilogram heavy cream
1 kilogram fish stock
10 grams fish sauce
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
10 grams black peppercorn
6 grams saffron
1 lemon rind
1 orange rind
300 grams cold diced butter
75 grams olive oil
20 grams lemon juice
Kosher salt
Zest of 3 cara cara oranges
Braised Artichokes:
200 grams thinly sliced shallot
25 grams crushed garlic
75 grams thinly sliced celery
75 grams thinly sliced fennel
150 grams dry white wine
1 kilogram vegetable stock
5 grams toasted coriander seed
5 grams toasted black peppercorn
3 grams toasted fennel seed
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
1 lemon rind
Globe artichokes, cleaned
Sea Bass:
5½ ounces sea bass fillet
Kosher salt
Espelette pepper
Neutral oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
Thyme
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Castelvetrano olives, sliced
Fennel fronds
Sorrel leaves, julienned
Basil
Onion blossoms
METHOD
For the Marinated Green Almonds:
In a nonreactive container, combine all ingredients. Seal and reserve.
For the Tomato Sofrito:
In a medium rondeau over high flame, heat oil. Add fennel, shallot, garlic, ginger, and onion and cook until caramelized. Season with salt. Deglaze pan with wine and continue to cook until liquid has nearly evaporated. Stir in gochujang, doenjang, tomato paste, and sugar. Cook until fragrant. Deglaze pan with vinegars. Remove from heat and stir in gochugaru. Let mixture cool over an ice bath. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Mussel Velouté:
In a large rondeau over high flame, heat oil. Add vegetables and alliums and sweat until translucent. Increase heat to high and add wine and mussels. Cover pan and cook 3 minutes, or until mussels just begin to open. Strain, reserving mussels and cooking liquid separately. Pick mussels from shell and set aside. In a clean pot over medium-high heat, add 1 kilogram reserved cooking liquid. Add heavy cream, stock, fish sauce, herbs, spices, and aromatics. Cook until mixture has reduced by three-quarters. Remove from heat and, using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, incorporate butter, olive oil, and lemon juice until mixture is fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and orange zest. Return to low heat, cover, and keep warm.
For the Braised Artichoke:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring alliums, vegetables, wine, stock, spices, and lemon to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer 25 minutes. Add artichokes and cook additional 30 minutes, or until artichokes are fork-tender. Let cool.
For the Sea Bass:
On a work surface, season sea bass with salt. Season flesh side with espelette pepper. In a sauté pan over medium-high flame, heat a splash of oil. Sear sea bass skin-side-down. Add butter, garlic, and thyme. Baste fish with mixture until cooked to medium doneness. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring Tomato Sofrito to room temperature. In the middle of a serving plate, spread an even layer Tomato Sofrito. Top with Sea Bass. Arrange 5 pieces Braised Artichokes, 5 pieces reserved mussels, olives, Marinated Green Almonds, fennel, sorrel, basil, and onion blossoms around the right side of Sea Bass, layering ingredients in that order. Pour Mussel Velouté around Sea Bass.
