Sea Bass with Fennel, Tomato and Orange
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large fennel bulb—halved, cored and thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon minced fennel fronds
- 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tender celery rib, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped drained canned tomatoes, plus 1/2 cup strained tomato juices
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
- Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- Sea salt
- 4 6-ounce skinless sea bass fillets
- 2 tbsps finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Add the fennel, onion and celery, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, 3/4 teaspoon of the orange zest, the saffron and crushed red pepper and cook over high heat until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato juices, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Arrange the fish fillets in the sauce in a single layer and season with salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the fish is opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes.
Mix the parsley with the fennel fronds and the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon orange zest; season with salt. Spoon the fish and sauce onto warmed plates, sprinkle with the parsley mixture and serve.
Notes
One Serving Calories 254 kcal, Total Fat 7.1 gm, Saturated Fat 1.4 gm, Protein 34 gm, Carbohydrates 13 gm.